Im so glad you're back
by NatashaAshleyMarvelRomanoff
Summary: Thanos had taken nearly everyone she loved when he snapped his fingers. Her team mates, Her friends, Her family. Her love. Natasha would do whatever it takes to get them back. 5 years after the snap. She might just have that chance. AU - Steve was one of the fallen that day of the snap. He along with half the population were dusted into nothing. Leaving his team mates and the love
1. Hes gone

"What did you do? What did you do?"  
That's all Natasha can hear in the distance. She knows that its Thor by his identifiable Asguardian accent. The blonde is surrounded by rock. Rock of all things. Thanos couldn't have just thrown her around like everyone else? Natasha thought. She was stuck, Trying to break free from the rock prison Thanos had created around her, she pounds at the rock, slowly chipping away, almost getting herself out.  
But after a minute or two everything goes silent. Just like when Thanos arrived. Like the world had sensed he was coming and made its self silent. It was happening again.

"Thor? What happened?"  
The captain rushed over to his friend, holding his side from thanos's blow. The purple titan just disappeared right in front of them, he must have used the stones. But before thor could answer, there was a familiar voice behind him.  
"Steve?"  
Its Bucky, his oldest friend. His brother. Steve whipped his head around at the sound of buck but right before his eyes, before he can even respond, he turns to ashes.  
Crumbling to dust right in front of his eyes. The bearded man stumbles as he makes his way over to where bucky was standing, his knees almost give out underneath him as he kneels down. His hand falls from his side and touched the ground. But there's nothing there except grass and leaves. Not even ash or dust. No evidence that his friend was even there. Both steves and his allies and friends mouth gasp as they watch the fall of one of their own.  
"What's happening?" Steve eyes look up from the ground. Searching for answers from his friends. But no one can speak. As they watch the horror in front of them. Then the gods voice rises to talk.  
"He snapped his fingers." Thor replies, his voice deep in realisation of what's just happened. The god can't help but feel immediate guilt. Thanos's words haunting him already. He should have gone for the head.  
The ones that are near them look on across the battlefield that is wakanda to see half their friends and allies turn to dust. As steve watched the battlefield from his knees he realises that someone's missing. Natasha. He can't see her anywhere.

As she reaches up above her, Natasha finally pulls herself out of the rock cage Thanos had trapped her in. As she stands up she whips her head around fast, trying to find any of her friends. But it isn't her friends she sees first. It's the wakandan warriors on the battlefield. But as she watches she soon realises somethings wrong. The warriors. They Are disappearing? Right in front of her. The blondes eyes widen at what she's seeing and gasps, she needs to find her friends. She needs to find steve. Running through the sparse forest Natasha slows when she sees the raccoon Thor arrived with earlier. The small animal is in despair as he watches his friend, the tree disappear in his arms. This isn't happening. It can't be. The former redhead thinks.  
"Oh my god." She barely whispers.  
Whipping her head back around the spy runs as fast as she can to find her soldier. She needs to make sure he's okay. He has to be.  
As she runs to find her friends, she rounds the corner of bushes and trees. She can vaguely see colours of navy, red and black in between the leaves against the green. She knows those colours to be her friends. Once she rushes around the bush she sees the people she knows, but they're all surrounding something. As she runs closer she sees what it is. Or who it is.  
Its Vision.  
Thanos killed him, he took the stone right from his head. The blonde slows down once she approaches and gulps at the sight of visions body.  
As he worries where she is, The soldier soon hears her running behind him. Whipping his head around so fast he almost hurts his neck, steve jumps up from kneeling down and grabs her by her arms, pulling his spy close to him. She gladly lets him pull her closer, wanting to feel him to make sure he was still there, that he had not disappeared too.  
But then something feels wrong. Pulling away slightly from his grip on her, she looks up at Steve. Almost a foot taller than her, His eyes are wide, as if he knows what's about to happen. Confused she narrows her eyes at him, her mouth opening slightly to ask what was wrong. But then all of a sudden his tight grip on her body falters, as if he was never even touching her. Tearing her gaze away from his blue eyes, she looks down at his hand only to find it wasnt there. There were only bits of dust and ash where it had been. With her eyes widening her head shoots back up to steve in horror.  
"No, no no, please steve no." she begs him. He's disappearing just like the rest of the warriors and friends, right in her arms.  
"Nat. im sorry. I love you." it's the last thing he manages to say before he's taken from her. Before he disintegrated into ash as she held him.  
Staring in front of her in shock. Her eyes look at nothing in particular as she pants in grief at what just happened.  
He's gone.  
Everyone around her watched in shock and guilt. Not being able to do anything to save him or help them. They can barely even move as they watch the rest of the people around them turn to ash. They just lost Steve. They lost their Captain. Their friend.  
Tears run down the russians face as she freezes in her place. After a few seconds her knees give out and she falls to the floor. Clutching at her chest she lets her tears fall for her love, quiet sobs escaping her breath.  
Not knowing how to react, everyone remains stood still. They're just stood there. Not knowing what to do with themselves, not knowing how to comfort each other, listening to the small cries of Natasha and panic from everyone else around them.  
Everyone had just lost half of their friends, their family, Natasha lost her best friends. The man she loved. 


	2. You're Not Alone

It's been 3 weeks. Or more specifically 22 days since the snap. Since they lost half of the universe. Half of the planet. Half of their friends.

All Natasha could do was work. She needed to do something. Anything. Anything that could help them. She barely slept. Afraid to be alone in her bed having got so used to having her soldier there. She didn't even have sam or Wanda to keep her company either. They both were lost to the snap too. All three of her friends that she had spent the last 2 years with, they were gone. She could barely eat as well. Anything she did she couldn't keep down. Everyone left had noticed that the snap had affected her the most, just in the way she had changed since they had known her. Even Carol who she had only just met noticed how distraught she had seemed to the rest of them.

It took them a few days but eventually using the pager they found they were able to send the signal to her. And thankfully she came.

Carol felt for the woman. She had obviously lost someone important to her, they all did but she suspected it was more than just friends. She didn't want to ask Natasha directly, but she figured she lost the love of her life by the way she was reacting.

The white glow of the bathroom light stings Natasha's eyes as she looks up into the mirror. The blonde could barely even look at herself anymore, her own face, proof that she hadn't been taking care of herself. Bags under her eyes, the paleness in her skin. She could barely even keep food down for god's sake. She's experienced loss before, she'd been through battle, missions, and wars, but this, the aftermath of the snap. This had shaken her to her core.

Just as she observed herself in the mirror the ground started to shake. Almost like an earthquake. Almost. It wasn't the ground that started it, it was coming from above.

Rushing out of the bathroom in her room and Grabbing a jacket the blonde spy ran outside of the Avengers compound along with bruce rhodey and pepper. In the distance of the sky, she could see a small glow underneath a massive ship. It was Carol, she was back, she'd found them.

Once they had talked to Carol when she first got here, they had explained that some of their friends were still missing, on another planet somewhere. Rocket told her that he could help track his ship if she was able to go get it. It took a while but they worked to locate it and found it drifting in the middle of space. Once Rocket had confirmed it was his ship she left to go bring it back. They didn't know who she would be bringing back though. There was no way to communicate with the ship since it was damaged from the fight on Titan, they would just have to wait.

Natasha watched as Carol carefully brought down the ship and landed it on the field, she hoped they found more than 1 of them. Rocket had lost his tree friend Groot. She didn't want him to lose everyone. And god she hoped her friends were still alive.

Once the ship was steady, the ramp for the entrance came down. Stumbling from the inside of the ship was tony. Natasha instantly ran to grab him along with Rhodey. God she was glad to see him, she let herself smile for just a moment before she got closer to him, He was so thin, so tired. He'd been up there for too long.

"I've got you tony, don't worry." Grabbing onto his arms to support him, Natasha let Tony use her as a crutch, whilst reassuring him that she could help him. He was gasping for breath, having almost run out he was gulping as much as he could. His mouth dryly trying to speak to her as they made their way down the ramp.

"I lost everyone. I lost the kid." The man of iron sounded so defeated. Natasha let a tear fall at his words. The kid, Peter. Peter was gone. Peter was awfully sweet when she met him. God, He was only 17. Shaking her head at Tony she tries to give him a sad smile, trying to make him feel better.

"It's okay, it's okay, it wasn't your fault." As they get to the bottom of the ramp, Natasha loses her grip on her oldest friend, letting him walk the rest of the distance to his love.

Pepper practically ran over, her arms wrapping around tony as she pulled him closer.

Natasha watched as they reunited, she couldn't be more thankful that she got her friend back but there would always be a small part of her that was jealous that they still had each other.

"He used the stones again?" Natasha asked the racoon. After giving Tony some treatment and letting him rest, the rest of the Avengers gathered in the common room, trying to formulate a plan. The rocket was explaining to them that the stones created a power surge, bigger than anything anyone has seen before. Something so unique that they would know if a power surge like that ever showed up again, it would be Thanos and the stones. Luckily he and nebula traced another surge, exactly the same as the snap on another planet. Far across the galaxies.

"You don't think he used them to kill people again do you?" Rhodey asked as he walked closer to the hologram in front of them.

"I doubt it. If that's what he had done we would've known about it." this time it was nebula who answered Rhodey's question, her deep voice sounded pained at talking of her father.

"We need to get them back. If we get the stones we can bring everyone back. We owe it to everyone who's not in this room to try." This is it. Natasha thought. They finally found something. They had a chance. She almost thought she might have sounded crazy as she spoke since no one agreed straight away. Until someone did.

"Your right. We need to try. We have to." it was Carol. Natasha could already tell her and Carol were going to get along well.

Since Carol had brought tony and nebula home, rocket and the blue cyborg had been working relentlessly to fix their ship. And she guesses they finally did. All of the Avengers boarded the ship and strapped themselves in their seats, rhodey sat at the back, Natasha and Thor next to each other, Carol and rocket in the pilot seats and finally bruce and nebula sat down the front of the ship.

Rocket slowly flew their ship into the atmosphere and then suddenly slowed down, talking about how they were ready to hyperjump, or something similar, Natasha wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. All she could think about was getting everyone back.

"Okay, which ones of you haven't been to space" the racoon spoke up. both her and rhodey raised their hands, and then looked at each other in almost a worried way.

" Don't throw up in my ship."

Then they jumped.

The Russian had never seen anything like it before, it was beautiful. Space just flinging past her at light speed as she travelled through the universe. Out of instinct, Natasha turned to her right, ready with a small quip about star wars. But when she realised there was nothing there except the interior of the ship, she slightly turned into herself. She'd almost forgot that he wasn't there. It was just second nature to her now to turn to her right.

A few seconds later the ship entered another hyperspace portal or whatever it was called.

They were here.

Flying out from the ship, Carol used her powers to fly out in the middle of space, turning back to the ship she told them she would look to see if he was alone or what they were up against. To see if he had armies or defence.

He didn't. There was nothing. No army, no defence, no satellites. Nothing. It's just him

Using the ship to enter the atmosphere they landed it quietly in the field.

The purple titan moved slowly around his farm, preparing himself food when suddenly he was attacked, but he didn't have the strength to fight back. They had overpowered him.

As thor and carol restrained him, Bruce and rhodey used their weapons and suits to threaten him to stay where he was, Natasha walked up through the door. Marching up to the monster in front of her, she asked him calmly, to give her the stones. He struggled to reply since carols arms were choking his neck but the words he could get out left her devastated. He didn't have them. He destroyed them.

"I Used the power of the stoner's to destroy themselves. Reducing them to atoms. They're gone for good. They served their purpose." No One knew what to believe. All shocked from what they had heard.

"No. no, they can't be. Where are they." Natasha shouted into his face, her eyes wet with tears, brimming, threatening to fall down her cheeks in front of this nightmare creature.

"I told you. They're gone. I'm inevita-" with the swing of an axe his words were cut off. Along with his head.

Natasha gasped as she watched Thanos's head fall to the floor in front of her. He was dead.

Looking up at the axe's owner, her eyes fell on thor. His face showing nothing but sadness and guilt.

"What did you do thor?" marching over to the god, her body filled with rage and sadness, she stopped herself in front of the large god and angrily watched him. Waiting for his answer. All thor could do was look at her in sadness. In guilt and sorrow.

"Why did you do that?" she yelled. Then he felt a blow to his chest. Natasha had hit him. To the god, it felt like nothing. But to her, it was all her pent up rage being channelled into her fists as she hit his chest over and over and over again, at the fact that he had killed the monster that had the stones.

She got a few blows into his body as she raged before he grabbed her arms and pulled her into his chest, the Russian avenger had tears running down her face at this point and just fell into her friend's arms defeated. Thor knew she was mourning for Steve and all their friends, but so was he. That's all they could do now, and they knew it. There's nothing they could do. Just mourn. This was it. Their last chance and they were too late.

The ride home was silent. Natasha sat at the back this time on her own. All she wanted to do was be alone right now, as she waited to arrive home she Just silently cries to herself. There was nothing she could do. She lost everyone, her friends, bucky, sam, wanda, Steve.

This was it. There was nothing, no chance. She lost him for good this time.

Once they arrived back home, Natasha made sure she was the first one off. Practically running back to her room at the compound so she could be alone. Not even bothering to remove her uniform before she made it to the bathroom, Natasha immediately went for the toilet, hunching over it and throwing up. The journey of travelling through space being too much for her body to handle right now, she was tired, with everything she had been through it didn't surprise her she was coughing her guts up every day.

Standing back up from the toilet, Natasha pushed herself away and back into her bedroom, her small fingers pulling at her belts, buckles and zips, releasing her from the tightness of her suit. She had changed into more comfy apparel, it was almost midnight here, all she wanted to do was go to bed and just sleep to escape the reality she was living at the moment. But as she pulled back the covers, her eye caught one of the photos she had next to her bed.

It was of Cooper and Lila holding Nathaniel when he was just a few weeks old. Looking at the photo hurt her. When they came back to new york the first people she tried to check on where the Bartons. But she couldn't get through to them. And when they went to check themselves, her niece and nephews were nowhere to be found. Neither was Laura or Clint. She tried to make herself feel better by thinking maybe they had just left but the picnic bench left outside full of food, that hadn't even been touched and a bowl of salad on the ground confirmed her suspicions.

She'd lost them too. Just looking at their faces, she couldn't help but feel like the universe had been extra cruel to her, taking away her best friends, her godchildren, her soldier, her steve.

She's known them since they were babies. She was there for Laura when she needed help, even to go get her food when she was craving something, even to help Laura through her contractions when she was pregnant with Lila. She remembered every second.

As Natasha reminisced about Laura and the kids, she almost froze on the spot. Dropping the picture, she took a few steps back.

Natashas breathes were getting deeper and deeper as she let her mind race with the facts.

Everything she's been going through. She was tired, sick, more emotional, she hadn't cried this much ever, she assumed it was because of Thanos and losing everybody but this was different, she'd seen this before. With Laura. All three times.

But it was impossible. "I can't- it's not possible," she whispered to herself. Not believing her own hypothesis. She needed to make sure. She knew for a fact it wasn't possible but she couldn't get the nagging feeling out of her head. If Laura was here she'd know what to do, Natasha thought.

Natasha waited about an hour before she left her room. She assumed everyone would be gone by now, back to their rooms, thinking about their lives and futures and what they were going to do know.

She was doing the same, she needed to know if it was true.

She had to know.

Heading down to the medic lab, Natasha quietly let herself into the clinical room. Rushing over to one of the holo-screens. She used her hands to activate the AI.

"Friday, I need to you to do a scan on me." she took a breath before she spoke. She couldn't believe what she was about to ask.

"Of course miss Romanoff, is there something wrong? Should I alert the others." Fridays Irish accent sounded out over the speaker com.

"No! Everything's fine, I just need you to scan me, I just need to make sure." no one could know about this not right now.

"Yes miss Romanoff, what scan shall I perform."

"An internal one, mainly across my stomach."

"Certainly miss Romanoff. "

A light flowed down her body as the artificial intelligence scanned her. Slowly analyzing her internal organs for any signs of her suspicions.

"Your scan is complete."

Once Friday had stopped talking, her scan glowed in the dim room.

There it was. In black and white. Well, the blue glow of the hologram.

PREGNANT - POSITIVE

Natasha couldn't help but let out a gasp of surprise. It couldn't be? How is it possible. This can't be right. No, it can't be, not without steve here. She refused to believe it.

"Friday run it again, you can't be right. Just run it as many times as you can. "

A few more minutes went by but it felt like a lifetime. She knew what Friday had said but she needs to check. She had to. There's no way she could do this right now, not without Steve. Jesus, as if life had not been cruel enough to her. Not only had her friends been taken but now she may face the possibility of raising a child, their child on her own. In this terrifying new reality, Thanos had created. She was in the middle of thought when the sound of the AI popped up again.

"Miss Romanoff i re-ran the scan 3000 times. My answer is certain. You are pregnant. I estimate around 2 months."

"But how is that possible. I'm- in… I can't have kids Friday. This can't be happening, it just can't."

"I'm well aware of your medical history miss Romanoff but my results are not wrong. You are indeed 2 months pregnant."

Slightly stumbling backwards Natasha stops against a table, her thighs just hitting the edge at her back. This can't be happening. She was pregnant with her and Steve's child. At the realisation, Natasha's hand subconsciously rested itself on her stomach, where her child lay. She didn't know how to feel. Overjoyed? If she was a normal person in a pre-snap world, then yes. Sad? She just found out she had no hope of bringing her friends back. Numb. that's probably the most accurate feeling right now.

She shouldn't be doing this alone. This was hers and Steve's child. He should be here. He was supposed to be with her when she found out. To celebrate with her. To promise her everything in the world. To protect her and their child. He should be here. He would have been over the moon. The thought of her child and Steve almost made her sob. He's wanted a child of his own for as long as he could remember and he finally had it, but he wasn't here.

Suddenly behind her, she heard a noise. Turning her head to find the source

Natashas face falls at the sight of Carol. The glowing words PREGNANT still in bold letters next to her. Carol looked on at Natasha with shock and sorrow in her eyes.

The Russian just looked at Carol in defeat. There was no way of trying to explain this now, and there was no point of denying it either. Natasha turned back round to the words in front of her as Carol walked herself into the room.

"Natasha I- I don't know what to say." Carol nearly stuttered as she spoke. She couldn't even imagine what Natasha must be feeling right now, she knows Natasha probably didn't want her to know either.

"Neither do I, but I don't think there's a lot to you can say to be honest." Natasha couldn't move. Still froze in her same position after Carol came in, her eyes welling with tears at the thought of her near future.

"That's probably true but I'll give it a try anyway because I think you might need it."

"I know how hard today was for you. And I'm sorry about your friends and Steve. But I think you should consider this a gift. You still have a part of him with you now. I know it wasn't supposed to end up like this and you probably never planned this. But now you have a chance to raise this baby. Yours and Steve's. Not everyone is gonna get this chance. You should cherish it. And know you're not alone."

You're not alone. Those words stick with Natasha, she guesses that it's kind of true. This was her baby, and with it, she'll never be alone again. She had her friends that were still here.

Nodding at carol once she had finished, Carol moved a bit closer and her arms widened a bit opening up so she could give Natasha a hug. Natasha couldn't find the strength to refuse so she gladly hugged Carol back. After a few seconds, Carol and Natasha let go. Carol held onto Natasha's shoulder to comfort her until she pulled away to leave the room.

It's a depressing next few days for the Avengers. For the past 3 weeks they thought they still could have a chance but now they know they didn't, it was just quiet.

The first person to leave was Carol. She explains that she needs to help other people in the universe and that she needs to tell them about what happened and now they know there's not much they can do, she's not much help back on earth. Everyone is understanding, mainly because they want to go their own way too.

Next, are Rocket and Nebula. The last remaining Guardians. The cyborg and the racoon tell the rest they want to get back out there into space, try and get information on anything that could help them get everybody back, and also to help others.

Bruce says he wants time to himself to work things out with the hulk. After their little domestic during the war with Thanos, they needed to sort everything out.

Thor, Natasha can understand the most. He needs to find his people and find them shelter on earth and take care of his people. Thor is their king and she respects that he has other people he needs to take care of.

And rhodey says he wants to go around the earth, helping people and spreading the word of what happened. And helping to deal with the government

And Tony, well tony right now is still trying to get better since he was almost starved of oxygen and food in space for 3 weeks, but pepper was adamant when she told them she's taking him home And they are staying there till he's better. Besides, there was nothing tony could do to help now.

Natasha, of course, accepts everyone's reasons, they have their own lives, she can't expect them to stay here in the compound forever. Once everyone discussed what they were doing, the Russian avenger told them she would miss them.

"what are you gonna do Natasha?" Rhodey asked her, it took her a few seconds to reply with an answer but she knew what she would do.

"I'm gonna stay here, at the compound."

Everyone else looks at each other in question, almost worried. She would be all alone surrounded by the memories of all their friends that are gone.

Noticing their looks, Natasha defends her decision to them.

"Guys, stop worrying so much, I can see it on your faces, I'll be fine. Listen I can stay here as ground control, you can keep me updated on everything your doing to let me know your okay and I'll return the favour, this means we can contact each other regularly and gather information. " their remaining teammates look around at each other again, taking in the spy's words and agreeing to what she was saying.

Natasha made sure not to mention her pregnancy, it would make things a lot harder, she didn't want to stop anyone from going on with their plans. If she left the baby out, everyone could just leave and not feel bad.

Through the course of the next week, Carol, rocket, nebula, Bruce, Thor, Rhodey, Pepper and Tony all leave one by one. Leaving Natasha alone in the compound. Just her, a hundred rooms full of memories and her baby. 


	3. 19:47pm

It's been a few months since the rest of the Avengers and the Guardians parted ways. 5 to be exact. 5 months that Rocket, Nebula and Carol had been gone somewhere in space, helping others and trying to find any information or hope.

Bruce had been off the grid, Natasha knows that he's off somewhere dealing with the hulk, in his last update he mentioned them getting along good now, but she still hadn't seen him since he left. Not even a visit.

Rhodey had been helping in other countries and dealing with the government to help with the aftermath of the snap.

Thor had found his people and had decided to build their new home in Norway, when Thor had last spoken to her he sounded sad, she knew he lost more than anyone but he sounded worse than when she lost saw him.

Tony and pepper had gone home, Tony had recovered well, he's been putting the weight back on and building back some muscle. He's doing good, Natasha couldn't be happier that he's getting better.

And Natasha, Natasha had been at the compound for the past 5 months. Preparing.

The first female Avenger was now 7 months pregnant, her bump was very pronounced now. None of her friends but Carol, Tony and pepper knew. Most of them were off in space or travelling the world helping people. Even when she video called them to check in, she never told them and either sat down or covered herself. So she just prepared instead. Natasha had spent the last 5 months reading the books, doing her research online, she even talked about it with pepper.

It was actually on the same day Natasha had told Tony that Tony told her Pepper was expecting too.

She hadn't planned on telling Tony that soon, but one day around 2 months ago he came by to visit, to check on her.

Tony was worried about her, she'd been cooped up in the compound for months, Tony would bet she's barely even left unless it was to go buy food for herself.

Tony drove up to the driveway of the compound, parking his car by the door. Natasha was alerted instantly when he arrived. Of course, she let him in, but she was surprised. She didn't expect to see him so soon, and most of all she didn't know if she was ready to tell him. But she guessed she didn't really have a choice since her bump was getting bigger.

Once he let himself in she went to meet him halfway in the hallway. When Tony finally saw her after 3 months, he was shocked, to the point his mouth was hanging open until he spoke, but when he did, they were not actual words, just confused mumbles.

After talking for a while and Natasha explaining to Tony that she was pregnant, he told her he came over to check on her and to also tell her something. Pepper was pregnant too, only 2 months in. when he told Natasha she couldn't have been happier for them. After everything, they went through, especially Tony, he deserved this.

Eventually, he got onto the topic of telling their friends and asked if she had told the rest of them. She hadn't. Natasha explained that she was going to but couldn't find the right time and that she didn't know if she was ready. surprisingly, Tony was the person she needed to hear. He was right, what was she waiting for? Why not tell them. She needed to do it eventually. Once they'd finished talking, she walked Tony to the door but before he left he turned to her and hugged her, she was taken aback at first since tony never normally hugged her, and he wasn't letting go either.

"You know your one of my oldest friends right? I've known you longer than anyone else on the team besides rhodey."

"Yeah, your one of my oldest friends too tony."

"You're important to me Tasha, and if you need anything. Just let me know okay."

Pulling away from the hug she nodded at him, letting him know that she was grateful for his words and offer.

"I'm happy for you, and I'm sorry that Steve couldn't be here with you." she hadn't actually told anyone about her and Steve. Carol had known after finding out about she and Steve were on the run together for 2 years, she supposed they probably guessed about their relationship when the snap happened but no one had actually asked her. She definitely didn't tell tony either but he was a genius after all. But it didn't take much working out considering she was already pregnant when the snap happened.

Looking down from Tony's eyes, she sighed. She was sorry too.

Tony and Nat remained close friends after their chat, of course, they were close anyway but they practically became best friends. Out of all their friends in space and on earth they were the only two that got to see each other regularly, and despite clashing sometimes, they were always there for each other.

It's been 2 months since she had that chat with Tony about telling everyone. It was actually almost Christmas.

"Okay baby, you ready?" Natasha whispered down to her belly as she paced back and forth on her feet in front of the hologram video call, caressing her stomach, she was nervous about telling them, but before they could answer the call Natasha sat down so they couldn't see her bump instantly.

"Hey blondie, I didn't know we were scheduling a call? Is there an emergency?" It was Rocket that connected first along with Nebula and then Rhodey, Okoye, Thor and Carol.

"Nice to see you too Rocket and no, there's no emergency, I just needed to tell you guys something."

As she pushed herself from her chair, she stands up with her stomach facing their holograms. Hearing various gasps from Okoye and Thor she smiles once she's stood steadily.

Most of them are smiling at her in disbelief. Carol looks at her with a smirk as she already knew about it. Carol is glad she finally told them all.

"Wow, you got fat real quick" rocket quipped, earning a disapproving look and slight laughs from the rest of her friends.

"Oh behave Rocket, she's pregnant. Congratulations Natasha." The Captain congratulated her with a smile on her face, Natasha looked better since the last time she saw her, happier even. She knew it would be hard for her but she would get through this for the sake of her child.

"Natasha this is amazing news, I'm delighted for you. This is some of the best news I've heard in awhile." Thor told her, he almost looked like he had a forced smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, she knew he was still hurting but she also knew he was genuinely happy for her. She just wished he was okay. He was almost like a brother to her. She was glad he answered her call, he hasn't logged on for the past few sessions.

After her friends congratulating her and giving her their pleasantries, they all logged off the video call one by one, leaving the conversation with some good news this time, with just a little bit of happiness they could think about.

Sitting back down on her chair, Natasha put her feet up on another chair and caressed her stomach, letting her child know that she was there. It felt like a burden had been lifted off her shoulders after telling her friends. There was still someone else she wanted to tell but unfortunately, she had no idea where he was. She didn't even know if he was alive or not.

God, she missed Clint at times like this. She'd lost nearly everyone she cared about, she just needed her oldest friend. She wanted to show him her scans, god knows she'd scanning herself a new one every other week. She was obsessed with seeing her child grow. She loved it. But even if he was here, even if she found him, she knew it would hurt too much for the Archer, he would be over the moon for her of course but he had lost Laura and his own children too.

But she couldn't show him anyway. So instead she just kept searching for him. Following leads, getting rhodey to help her. There were a few leads in Mexico about a mass killing but it would be impossible to know if it was Clint or not considering lots of people went crazy after the snap. But still, she hadn't found him, so she'd just have to hope he would show up one day.

It was Another month and a half before she started to feel pain. Natasha was just getting dressed after her shower when she felt them, At first the Russian didn't think anything of it, she had read about the fake contractions you get before giving birth and She'd been there when Laura had experienced them and Laura had told her they felt like nothing compared to the real thing, Natasha just placed it down to them. She wasn't due for another 2 weeks.

Then it suddenly hit. Harder than the rest of the smaller pains she'd been feeling. It was different. Natasha almost stumbled when the pain hit. Grabbing onto the nearest wall she steadied herself, waiting for the pain to pass. Once it had, Natasha took a deep breath, ready to move to walk out of the room but suddenly the floor was wet.

Her waters had just broke.

Looking at the puddle underneath her, Natasha stared in shock. This was it. She was in labour!

I'm not due for another 2 weeks? Natasha thought.

Rushing to the best of her abilities, Natasha left her room and ran to the nearest phone, using the speed dial to phone Tony. There was no point calling anyone else, Tony was the closest and she needed him to get here now.

Once Tony had answered her call, he had rushed over like a bullet, him and pepper both piled into the car, ready to pick her up. It only took about half an hour to get to Natasha, and once they arrived pepper hurried to Natasha to comfort her and help her to control her breaths. Tony helped Natasha to get in the back of the car and pepper also stayed in the back with her. Driving to the nearest hospital, they checked her in and the nurses rushed round to attach Natasha up to the medical equipment.

It was a few hours after dropping Natasha of at the hospital that Tony drove back to the compound. Pepper had stayed with Natasha at the hospital, she needed someone there and pepper refused to leave her alone. So he decided to come back and tidy up a few things for Natasha, since she wasn't due for another couple of weeks, he guessed she hadn't had some things ready yet. Well… pepper guessed and she forced him to go back to the compound. Not that he minded for his best friend. Cleaning up the water in her room and setting up some baby equipment for Natasha, Tony had finally finished. But before he left to go back to the hospital he grabbed a bag for Natasha and the baby and also stopped to make a quick video call to their friends.

"Friday call everyone for me"

"Yes sir"

After waiting for a few seconds everyone logged on. All with confused and worried faces because this call was not scheduled, their next one wasn't till next week, and also because they were met with the face of tony instead of Natasha.

"Tony? Why are you calling?" Nebula's deep voice sounded out in confusion and in surprise, she hadn't seen her friend for a while. It was good to see him don't get her wrong, but normally Natasha called not him.

"Good to see you too blue, and I'm calling because Natasha can't right now." looking around at each other's holograms, the other Avengers and guardians are confused.

"Has something happened? Are she and the baby okay?" Carol asked concerned, she and Natasha had called each other regularly over the past months, just to talk or catch up. Carol had helped her a lot too, helping her to deal with her pregnancy and the idea of raising her baby on her own. Carol had helped Maria when she was pregnant, she had first-hand experience at helping her oldest friend as a single mother and if she could help Natasha she would.

"Yeah, she's fine! I was just calling to let you all know that she's gone into labour"

"Already? I thought she wasn't supposed to give birth for another few weeks?" this time it was Thor that spoke, worried about his friend and her baby. Natasha was one of his only friends in the Avengers left that he spoke to regularly. She was always there when he needed to talk. She was practically his family.

"It's nothing to worry about don't worry, she's just doing it earlier than expected, probably that serum right?" Tony tried to force a laugh at his joke, it still hurt for everyone to think of their lost friends, especially Steve, their team leader and the father of Natasha's child.

"Well, that's the reason I called, I know Natasha wouldn't want any of you to leave your posts or she would be angry at you for coming to see her instead of taking care of things up there but I know deep down she'd love it if you could pop in for a visit." Tony knew Natasha would tell them all off for coming to see her, she'd brush it off and say it was no big deal but she needed this. She had been in this goddamn compound for months all alone, he knew she would love to see them again.

Nodding her head, Carol told Tony she would come back to earth as soon as she could, she hoped it would be in the next few days. Thor was more than happy to tell Tony he would use the Bifrost to transport himself over to new york to come to visit her.

Okoye wouldn't be able to leave her post in Wakanda but she told Tony she would call Natasha soon to give her congratulations.

Rhodey told his oldest friend that he would try to get back as soon as he could to see them all, he'd been travelling around the world trying to help the government's with their new plans but he could take a few days from it.

Surprisingly to tony, rocket and nebula said they would fly back today. They didn't have any new leads at the moment and a trip back to earth wouldn't hurt.

"Okay then, I guess I'll see you guys soon, safe trip blue," if he was being honest, he had a soft spot for the blue cyborg. They spent 3 weeks together in space, they'd become close friends and still spoke over emails. The genius was glad he would get to see nebula again.

A couple more hours after his phone call with the guardians, finally, on the 14th of February 2019, James Samuel Clinton Rogers was born at 19:47 pm. Tony could have laughed at the irony of his best friends son being born on valentines day.

Natasha despised valentines day, but now it was her favourite day of the year. Because that's the day her and Steve's son was born. Her little blessing. 


	4. 5 Years

5 years after the snap

"So how's space guys?" Natasha asked her team.

Today was the day of their scheduled call in the common room. They managed to upkeep it every earthly 2 weeks. The woman with now red and blonde ombre hair stood in the kitchen, cutting up two plates of peanut butter sandwiches, Natasha was always glad to have these calls with her friends. It was a nice change to talk to adults for a while, and not talk about the cartoons on the TV.

A lot had changed over the past 5 years. Natasha's hair had grown longer, but the blonde still remained on the ends. She had also had her son, James. And he was the light of her life, Natasha couldn't imagine how she would have coped if she didn't have James. He was so energetic and sometimes untamable, but she loved it. She blamed his energy on steve, there was no doubt James had received his dad's serum. Natasha was sure James had her serum too but steves was always stronger.

James would ask about Steve all the time, and Natasha was more than happy to tell her son about his father. She told him about how they were heroes and fought aliens and bad guys and help to save the world, and she also told him about the snap. She made her stories a lot simpler as not to upset her son or scare him but he knew that they had not won when Thanos came and that his father had been one of the people that disappeared too. But more importantly, she told James about how much of a good person his father was. And that Steve was sweet and would help anyone he could without a second thought. She also told James about how his father was the first person to ever tell her he loved her. Ever since she told James about that the little blonde boy always made sure to tell his mom that he loved her and his dad, even though he hadn't met him.

Tony and Pepper finally had their daughter a few months after she had James, they named her morgan and only lived 30 minutes away so they could see each other as much as they wanted, and so their kids could always play together. Carol, nebula, and rocket were still in space, they visited every now and then but they had their missions. Rhodey finished helping the governments after the snap and was now helping the people. Going to countries to do the best he could to help.

Thor was still in Norway, taking care of his people, Natasha made sure to call him every week to keep in touch. She always made sure to ask him about how he was feeling and what he was doing. I guess you could say it was her maternal instinct, once she had James she became very protective of her son and also her friends. Especially Thor. And Okoye was still in Wakanda since their king and princess were victims of the snap, their mother was now queen and Okoye, loyal to the throne and Wakanda stayed to be with her queen and country.

"Space is fine on our end of it. What about you 'haircut'?." rocket replied. He and nebula still hadn't had any new leads about anything that could help get their friends back, they hadn't had any new leads in months actually.

Carol smirked back at rockets new little nickname for her.

"Space is good near me too, people are still trying to move on and carry on with their lives, it's hard but they are getting there."

"Okay good, that's good. It's good to know that people out there are doing okay." Natasha smiled back at her friends.

"Right, well, I guess I'll let you guys get back to space then" once her space team logged off it was just her and Rhodey on the holograms. She finished cutting the sandwiches and brought them over to the table, almost avoiding Rhodey's eyes.

"Nat" he called over.

"Yeah" she knew what he wanted to talk about and the retired spy tried to hide her tears as she looked at one of her oldest friends.

"Something happened in China last night."

Sitting down she closed her eyes, listening to his words.

"I don't know if it was him but they killed over two dozen people, some of them innocent."

At that she let her tears fall. Her best friend. They found out he was alive a few years ago. They caught him on surveillance by chance. Ever since then Natasha had Rhodey and Friday looking for anything they could to locate Clint. The former archer had been on a killing spree they believed. In grief at losing his family. But every time they thought they found Clint, he was already gone, leaving a trail of bodies behind him.

"Thanks for letting me know, really. If anything else pops up, anything Rhodey. Let me know?"

"Of course. Now make sure you're taking care of yourself nat, and Tell my nephew I said hi."

Smiling and Nodding back at Rhodey, he logged off the chat. His hologram fading away.

Sighing, Natasha sank back into the chair and closed her eyes. Silently praying for her friend. She just wanted to see Clint, she just wanted him to come home. If she could do anything to help him she would.

"Mommy!"

Snapping her eyes open and shooting her head up at the sound of her son calling her, Natasha immediately sees her son, James, running straight to her. Before she can even stand up he's already climbing onto her lap and wrapping his small arm around her in a hug.

Smiling she hugs him back out of instinct.

"Hey baby, you finished playing in your room?" pulling back from their hug she secured her son in her lap buy wrapping her left arm around his back, keeping him close to her.

"Yep! I drew you a picture!" raising her eyebrows, she acts surprised, even though she has come to expect this every time he plays in his room. Their refrigerator and the walls are covered in his drawings.

"You did? How sweet of you. Can I see it?" shaking his head vigorously the young boy refuses.

"Nope, not yet, I need to finish it first. Did you speak to my aunties and uncles?"

Changing the conversation very quick, the blonde 4-year-old, asked about her friends. He knew by now that they talked every other week and he was always excited to see them but Natasha didn't normally let him stay when they discussed work, considering the things they talked about, she didn't think her son should be hearing it. But every now and then he'd welcome himself into the room to say hi to his family, and everyone else was always more than happy to see him too.

"Yeah I did, they all miss you baby, and your uncle Rhodey asked me to make sure you knew he said hi"

"Are they gonna come visit us soon? I miss them." James' shoulder starts to sink into himself, obviously shy about asking. He knew they were busy being heroes but he missed them so much he just wanted to see them all again and play.

"I dunno Jamie, your auntie carol's really far away in space helping people, and so are Rocket and auntie Neb. I could give your uncle thor a call if you want?" Natasha knew to mention Thor was always a good idea to cheer James up. Thor loved James and James absolutely adored thor. She was sure it was just because when Thor sat the young boy on his shoulders he could be really tall. Natasha made it a habit to talk to Thor all the time. Even after all these years she still had that maternal instinct to take care of her boys. After James was born, he always promised to visit her and James as often as he could and he did.

"Uncle Thor?! Yeah yeah yeah!" his ears perking up, James's shy look turned into one of excitement. Smiling at the look of cheerfulness on her son's face, Natasha pulls him a bit closer into her side to hold him and stroked his blonde hair out of his face.

"Okay okay, but I'll have to call him tomorrow okay? It's night time where uncle Thor is right now. But I'll make sure to ask everyone when they're coming to see you next time we call okay?"

"Okay mommy, its okay though, I love my aunties and uncles but I love you the most."

He was so much like his father it amazed her. Her James's little heart filled with nothing but love. Raising her posture, Natasha kissed the top of her sons head.

"I love you too baby. Right, time for lunch, get those peanut butter sandwiches down you." Natasha said to her son. Standing herself up on her feet with her son in her arms, she put him down to let him run around the table to grab his plate and sit across from her. After getting a few bites down from both of them, an alert for the security system at the door sounded.

The mother automatically swiped the holographic alert and opened the live footage from the gate without even looking at it, assuming it was probably tony.

"Hey, guys it's me! It's Scott! We met a few years back in Germany! Can you let me in?"

Natasha's face dropped instantly, her mouth falling open and her eyes widening at the footage. Standing up the spy gawked at the man on the holographic screen.

"No, it can't be" he was supposed to be dead, he was a victim of the snap.

"Mommy who is that?" James asked. His little voice was curious. Shifting her head to look at her son, Natasha replied.

"His names Scott Jamie, it's okay he's one of us."

Rushing out of the room, Natasha runs down the corridor to make her way to the front door. She couldn't help but notice the softer sound of little footsteps following her. Arriving at the entrance of the compound, Natasha uses the passcode to open the door.

Moving a few inches, Natasha pushes the door fully open until she could see the full length of the presumed dead man in front of her.

….

"So it's really been 5 years?" Scott questioned Natasha. He still couldn't believe it, even when he saw Cassie all grown up. She had explained what happened all those years ago but it was still hard to believe that this had actually happened

"Yup. "

Scott, Natasha, and James were all back inside the common room now. Once Scott had sat down Natasha instantly offered him the rest of her sandwich, which he gladly accepted.

"And half the population of the universe is dea- gone?" Scott minded his words, remembering the presence of a kid in the room.

"Uh huh"

"Tony Stark had a kid?"

"Yeah"

"And you had a kid with Captain America."

Tensing at Scott's question, Natasha averts her eyes from him for a second and shifted them over to her son, who was sat on the end of the table, also eating his own sandwiches. It wouldn't matter how many years had gone by, it still hurt to think about him being gone. God, she missed him. Returning her eyes and leaning forward on the table she answered his question.

"Yes"

"Okay."

Taken aback, Natasha's mouth fell slightly open and her eyebrows raised.

"Okay? That's it? Scott, you've just come back after 5 years to find out half the people you know are gone. And your just, okay?"

When you put it like that it does kinda sound stupid. He thought

"I'll be fine. But There's something you need to know."

Putting the rest of the sandwich down on the plate, Scott's face falls into a serious look. Natasha was almost worried, in the short time she knew Scott she didn't think him to be someone so serious at all times. But right now. She'd never seen this look on his face before.

"I was trapped in the quantum realm for all this time."

"Yeah, you said. How did you even cope or survive that for years?" The redhead's eyes softened slightly as she questioned him. In some way, she felt herself relating to him for once. In Her childhood she had been captive in the red room, he had been stuck somewhere no one could find him till now.

"Yeah but that's the thing it didn't feel like years, it felt like hours. You lived through 5 years. To me, it felt like 5 hours."

Natasha searched the man's face to see if he was telling the truth.

He was.

Tearing her eyes away from Scott, Natasha turned her head to her left to look at her son. Pushing her chair back and standing up, she made her way over to James just as he was finishing his lunch. Scott watched as she walked in the other direction, she was probably going to ask James to leave whilst they talked. he would have done the same with Cassie. Once she arrived at her son's seat, Natasha bent down so that she was on the same level as James and then she raised her hand and stroked the little strands of blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Jamie, mommy needs to talk to Scott alone for a few minutes, can you go play in your room for me?" The mother used her sweetest voice as she talked to her child. She didn't want to worry him or make him upset.

Hearing the request of his mother, James's shoulders sagged slightly, of course, she knew he didn't want to leave. But if Scott was implying what she thought he was, she didn't want James to hear it.

"But mooooom." The blonde boy's little voice called out.

"wait, I almost forgot. Why don't you go draw a picture for Scott instead? I know you want to and I know that Scott would love a picture, right?" Natasha turned her head to Scott and gave him a look that told him to agree.

"Yeah James, I'd love a drawing!" Scott replied back to the little boy enthusiastically. Scott instantly knew Natasha's idea, he used to do it with Cassie. Thinking about her made his heartache. He couldn't believe he missed another 5 years of her life.

Gasping and his little green eyes widening, James was suddenly full of energy.

"Okay mommy, I'll draw you a picture now Scott!" jumping down from his seat on the chair, James practically sprinted down the room and into the corridor, making his way to his room.

Natasha watched as James rounded the corner to run down to go draw Scott's picture. Once he ran out of view, Natasha turned back around to Scott, her face turning into one of seriousness. Barely even speaking Natasha's voice caught in her throat.

"5 hours for you? How is that possible?"

"It's the quantum realm, time moves differently there. It has time vortexes. Before I jumped I was warned not to get stuck in one because I could end up in a different century. But I guess before I could get out Thanos had already destroyed half the universe."

Pausing for a second, Scott thought about hope. She was one of the victims of the snap. He knew that now. Taking a deep breath he carried on speaking to the Avengers.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have an idea. If we could somehow use the quantum realm and the suit to travel through it safely, then maybe we could use the time vortex's too."

"Are you seriously saying what I think you're saying? "

Averting his eyes at the awkwardness of the conversation Scott thought about his answer first, he didn't want to sound crazy!

"Time travel?" He nearly cringed when he said those words. Not wanting to see the look on Natasha's face.

"Oh god, Scott, it can't be possible, can it?" She couldn't believe it, but deep inside there was a glimmer of hope bubbling. Maybe this was it? Maybe they could actually get everyone back?

"Natasha it was 5 hours for me. It's been 5 years for you. I don't think anything is impossible anymore. "

Pacing on the spot, Natasha nibbled at her fingernails as she listened to Scott's words. He was right. She couldn't be naive to think it was impossible. She's faced impossible every day since Loki invaded new york. She faced it when she fell in love with Steve and he loved her back. She faced it when Thanos came and destroyed half the universe. And she has faced it every day for the last 5 years as she watched her and steve's child grow into a little boy with the purest heart she could imagine.

Sighing, Natasha stopped pacing and faced Scott, standing tall.

"Okay, maybe this could work. But we need a brain to figure this out. A bigger brain than ours. I'm smart, but not that smart."

…

After talking and agreeing with Scott, he and Natasha made a plan of action.

They decided they needed tony's help if anyone could build what they needed it would be her closest. Natasha made her way back to her son's room to help him get ready to leave. Fortunately for James, he had finished Scotts drawing so after getting his shoes and coat on, he gifted the drawing to Scott who made sure that James knew he loved it. After getting James buckled in the car, Natasha thanked Scott for entertaining her young son, but Scott said he didn't mind, it reminded him of when he used to do it with Cassie.

"I'm sorry about Cassie Scott. But all we can do it be grateful your back. Now you have the rest of your life to make up for those missing years. And I'm more than sure she's happy to have you back, no matter when it was you came back." Natasha placed her hand on her friend's shoulder as a show of comfort. She knew what I was like to lose Steve and god it hurt like hell, but she could never imagine loosing James.

"Your right, I know you're right. It just hurts. I did everything I could to see her and be a better father back then. And when I finally did that, I missed time with her again. But it's like you said, we should be grateful that I came back."

Finishing their conversation, both superheroes got inside the car to join James and set off to go to Tony's house.

As she pulled up, she could already see tony stood outside near the lake holding Morgan in his arms. Before she could even get her own seatbelt off, James had already undone his in a hurry and jumped out the car, running and shouting excitedly for his best friend.

Noticing his nephew running towards them, Tony smiled at the young boy and bent down to put Morgan back on the ground, letting her run off to play with her best friend.

Eyeing up Natasha as she got out the car, he took a few steps close to her when he noticed she had a serious look on her face, almost desperate maybe. Furrowing his brows for a second, the genius worried about why she was here, she normally called to let him know beforehand.

It wasn't until the passenger door opened that Tony understood why she looked so strange.

Scott Lang.

Tony's face hardened in confusion and disbelief as his eyes stayed glued to the man in front of him.

"Hey Tony." the former spy breathed out. making her way towards her friend, Scott follows a few steps behind

"Hey yourself. Wanna explain?" He sounded dumbfounded. To tony, he was seeing a dead man right in front of his eyes.

"It's complicated, but I was in the quantum realm when you guys fought Thanos 5 years ago. My girlf- hope and her family were up here when I was down there. All three of them were killed when Thanos decimated half the universe leaving me stuck down there. For you guys its been 5 years. For me. 5 hours.

The genius face dropped.

"5 hours? What are you trying to say lang?" he already knew what Scott was talking about. He just needed to hear it for him.

"I'm trying to tell that time works differently down there. And we can use it to our advantage."

"Tony, we could get everyone back. " Natasha interrupted. Shifting his gaze to his best friend, Tony looked skeptical.

"Look I know you're probably hesitant to believe in this but it could work. I know it works. We just need to control it. And we need you to help us."

As Scott talked, Tony never tore his eyes away from Natasha. Watching her face. He knew she missed Steve, she missed him more and more as each day went past. She would do anything to get him back. To get their friends back. And so would he. God, what he wouldn't do to get Peter back. To see his friends again. But this. Time travel. Tony didn't even think it could be done in the first place, never mind in the next few days.

"And what about if we did it? What if we managed to time travel, did you even think about what would happen, what damage we could do? If we went back and changed something it could affect our lives now. And that's not a risk I'm gonna take. I'm sorry Tasha. But I can't do something that would risk my daughter not even existing."

Natasha understood his concerns, of course, she did. Taking a few strides forward so she was closer to Tony, Natasha looked up at her friend and spoke.

"I understand tony, I do. Believe me. But if we have a chance to bring half the universe back, we should take it. We don't have to do anything that could risk us losing what we have now. But we could finally get them back."

"Nat. I'm sorry but no. I can't. We don't even know if we can control it or if it'll even work. I'm sorry."

Lowering her gaze, Natasha blinks in defeat. Sighing a little, she nods her head at him. Accepting his answer.

"It's okay, you don't have anything to be sorry for Tony. I understand," she replies, flashing him a slight smile.

Giving a quick glance over his shoulder at the two kids in Morgan's outside play area, Tony voices his idea.

"Hey, why don't you let James stay over for the night. I can just feel the two of them itching for a sleepover and they are probably 2 minutes off asking themselves anyway."

"Your probably right" Natasha let out a huff of a laugh at his words, he wasn't wrong.

"Sure, why not? he always loves staying over."

"I know, I'm his favorite uncle that's why." Tony winked at her. He was totally James's favorite uncle.

"Oh, you really think so? I dunno, by the way James talks about thor you might have some competition there." Natasha couldn't help but smirk at Tony's face when she told him that. Turning her head and body slightly towards the children Natasha called out for her son.

"Jamie, come here baby." Hearing the sound of his mother's voice calling him, James comes running over, almost crashing into her legs. Bending over slightly so they were near enough eye to eye, Natasha asked her son with her sweet voice.

"Uncle Tony was wondering if you'd want to have a sleepover tonight so you can stay and play with morgan, how does that sound?"

James's little face lit up like a tree at Christmas. He started to jump up and down to giddy to contain his excitement.

"Yes yes yes!"

Smiling at her son, she picked him up and balanced him on her hip, giving him a tight squeeze.

"Okay, you promise to be good for uncle Tony and auntie pepper?"

"Yes mommy, I promise!" James nodded his head, his blonde hair shaking about.

He loved staying at Morgan's house for sleepovers, it took ages to get him back into the car to come home when they visited for a few hours.

"That's my good boy" the redhead placed a little kiss on his forehead then put him down again on the ground.

"Thank you auntie nat!" This time it was her niece shouting out to her and running over to hug her legs along with James. Thanking her for letting her best friend stay over. Once the two children had finished keeping her legs hostage, she pulled her down to give her a hug and said bye, and then they ran back over to Morgan's play area to finish whatever game it was they were playing.

She was about to open her mouth to speak to Tony but before she could, Tony beat her to it first, knowing exactly what she was going to say.

"Don't worry nat, we've got everything he needs remember, you know a few pairs of PJs and clothes. Don't worry." the genius reassured her, he knew she would be a bit worried, she always was. James was her only child. Her and steve's child. He was her life.

Giving one last glance at her son as he played with her niece, Natasha lets out a breath, she felt bad, she knew Tony had said no but she wasn't going to give up so easily. Natasha nodded at Tony.

Moving closer to bring her into a hug, the two Avengers embraced for a few seconds before pulling back.

"I'll bring him over tomorrow yeah?"

Nodding at his words, Natasha moved away from tony to walk back to her car along with Scott.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow tony."

Getting into the car, Both her and Scott start to leave, driving away from the house.

After a few minutes of discussing what they should do next. They decide if Tony won't help them they need to ask someone else. Someone else with a giant brain. Literally.


	5. See you in a minute

After Tony had refused to help them with their plan, Scott and Natasha made their way to find Bruce. Or professor hulk as he was called now. It was still a little strange to see Bruce as the hulk but she'd gotten used to it by now. However, Scott was mesmerised. She even had to elbow him a few times since he lost concentration because he was staring at Bruce so much. She supposes to be fair on his part he hadn't actually met Bruce before so seeing him like this would have been a lot to process.

They had met in the diner for lunch and told Bruce about their plans, Bruce had been more than happy to help them. He understood how his friends must have been feeling and he too would do anything to get their lost friends back.

Now back at the compound the next day, Bruce, Scott and Natasha had set up some equipment that attached to Scott's ugly brown van and Bruce had set up his station to control where Scott's presence in the quantum realm so that he didn't get lost.

But once they started up the machine and sent Scott into the quantum realm. It went a little wrong. Okay, maybe a lot wrong. Somehow they managed to turn Scott into a teenager, old man and baby before they had to cut the power and bring the normal Scott back.

As Bruce and Scott argued about how to fix the technical equipment to make it work, Natasha left the room. Opening the doors to the outside hangar, the Russian walked over to one of the pillars, leaned against it and let out a deep sigh. She felt defeated.

How were they supposed to get everyone back if they couldn't even help Scott travel safely through the quantum realm? Maybe all this was a lost cause. She thought.

Deep in her unhopeful thoughts, Natasha didn't notice the car pulling down the driveway until it was a few yards away. Whipping her head up at the sound of the engine, the redhead instantly recognised the sleek Audi as Tony's.

Pulling up alongside her, Tony parked the car, got out and walked over to her.

"So let me guess. You turned Scott into a baby?" the genius sniggered at her with a smirk on his face.

Jutting her chin to the side in annoyance since she knew Tony was right, the first female avenger nodded and rolled her eyes at him.

Tony's smirk getting even bigger he also laughed a little louder which in turn, made Natasha give in to laughing too.

"Yeah, and an old man. I don't think its gonna work tony." Still smiling at the events from a few minutes ago, Natasha voiced her worries to tony, her smile faulting slightly.

"Well that's a shame, I guess I'll just head home them and not share my super awesome time travel plans with you, you know since I figured it out."

As tony turned to walk back to his car, Natasha's eyes widened. Only realising what her friend had said.

"What did you just say?" Almost running the short distance between her and Tony, she looked up at him with hopeful eyes, but she was also in disbelief.

"I figured it out nat. I know how to time travel, and it's completely safe." his brown eyes beamed at her when he told Natasha. He still couldn't believe it himself, to be honest.

If it wasn't for that picture of Peter he had saved in his kitchen, he doesn't think he ever would have tried to figure it out.

When he saw that picture it stirred some feelings inside of him. He loved that kid. Tony knew he never said it but he did. Yeah, he was annoying at times and was a pain in the ass but he loved the kid. It hurt to even think about him. Of course after he got back from space he had asked about his aunt may and friends, but unfortunately, they hadn't made it. Tony still felt guilty to this day. And he was sure if it was any other time he saw that picture of the two of them he would have just thought about Peter and put it back down. But Scott and Natasha's words had stuck with him all day. That photo. That photo was his reason to at least try and he did.

"Oh my god. You did it? wait. I thought you said you didn't want any part in this?" Natasha hopeful face transformed into a confused one.

"I know, but then I realised you were right. As much as I hate to admit that to your stupid face. We have a chance again. After 5 years and we should take it. But Tasha, if we're gonna do this, we need to make sure that we don't change anything. I don't want to risk losing the life I have now. And I'm sure you don't want to either." Tony really hated admitting she was right, and naturally, she was loving it, listening to his words with a smirk of her face.

"Of course, I don't. I don't want to lose anything either. All I want is to bring everyone back." Natasha's face softened as she watched tony.

"Okay then. Let's get started."

As tony shuffled backwards to go to the boot of his car, Natasha stopped in her place, only just realising that something was missing. Or rather someone.

"Wait. Wheres James?"

"Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, I figured since we were gonna build a time machine it would be best to not have a 5-year-old running around near it just in case we lost him in the 1700s by accident." Tony joked at her. Laughing at him, Natasha just agreed with him. He was right. She didn't want James near any of it just in case something went wrong.

Then after she had laughed at him, Tony pulled something out of his boot. Natashas breath caught in her throat as she instantly recognised the rounded surface.

Steve shield.

"I figured if we're gonna do this, you should have this. I don't know why I didn't give it back to you before but I guess better late than never. You don't have to use it of course, but I just thought to have this on you, it would almost feel like he's there with you."

Taking the large shield of him, Natasha felt her eyes brimming. She tried to sniff her nose to keep them from falling and she flashes the genius a smile. She remembered the last she saw it, back in Germany. Nearly 7 years ago now. Even though she wanted to take it with her on their mission, she knew she couldn't. It was steves shield, if something happened to her she didn't want to take it.

"Thank you, Tony." She told him, in the sincerest voice she could. She really was thankful.

Tony and Natasha let themselves back inside where Tony explained he had figured out how to time travel. After a few hours. The 4 had the beginning of a plan. First, get everyone back on earth, then build the machine inside the hangar. They didn't have a solid plan on what to do exactly once they had built the time machine but a vague plan was formed to get the stones first before Thanos could get them.

As the boys got on with building the time machine, Natasha made video calls to all of their fellow Avengers and Guardians. She didn't explain in detail but Natasha had told them that they had a new plan on how to get everyone back and she would explain when they got here. Unfortunately, she couldn't reach carol but once Carol saw her video calls she was sure her son's aunt would come as soon as possible.

Rocket and Nebula where the first ones to come back home as well as Rhodey.  
Herself, Scott, Tony and Bruce explained to them all their plan. Most of them are sceptical at first but once Tony had explained that the details and that he was confident it would work, they accepted it. It also helped that rocket was on board with the plan and was also confident that it would work.

That left only Clint and Thor. Once Rhodey had returned to the compound he had informed Natasha that he thinks he knows where Clint is. This is the closest they have gotten to finding him. It was either now or never.

Natasha took the opportunity immediately. If anyone was going to get him it was going to be her. She hadn't seen him in 5 years. She had missed him so much. He was her oldest friend in this world and Natasha was determined to bring him back, and hopefully telling him about their new plan would convince him.

Since it had been nighttime where Thor was when they had been building the machine, she couldn't call him until it was the day for him, but since she was on her way to Tokyo she had Bruce make the call instead. Bruce had informed her that Thor would be at the compound by the end of the day. Natasha was relieved to hear it. She knew Thor had been depressed since the snap and she tried her best to make him feel better. She'd been there before so if there was anything she could do to help one of her closest friends she would.

Arriving in Tokyo Natasha turned on the Quinjet's stealth mode, to make sure Clint wouldn't hear or see her and run.

As she walked through the alleyway littered with bodies Natasha approached the former archer. Now known as Ronin to his victims and enemies.

His back was turned to her as she stepped closer, then when she stopped, her oldest friend removed his hood. She couldn't help but think he looked different. His hair. His face. His eyes. They were the eyes of a distraught man. A man who had lost his entire family. But no matter what he had done, no matter what happened Clint would always be her friend and she would never judge him on his actions. He never judged her, instead, he saved her all those years ago. And she was just about to return that favour.

Natasha knew she maybe treading on eggshells when she moved closer to him but she needed him to know she still loved him. After all this time, She was finally speaking to him again.

"Clint. Killing all these people isn't going to bring your family back. We found something. A chance maybe…" her voice was soft, the same voice she used to speak to James when he was sad.

"Don't" Clint's voice was harsh as he spoke. The first words she had hear him say in 5 years.

"Don't what?"

"Give me hope" his voice broke. Throughout the years he had held onto hope that one day his wife and children would come back, but as time and time went on, he lost that hope. Clint didn't know if he could handle having that hope ripped away from him again.

"I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you sooner" she took another step closer. Just an arm's length away. The colourful neon signs were their only source of light as the former spy looked at her friend. Slowly raising her arm, she took Clint's hand in her own. Trying her best to comfort him right now.

It took a few minutes for Clint to agree to leave with her, but once he did they both made their way to the quinjet and set course to the compound in New York.

The ride home wasn't too long since they had taken the quinjet, but Clint had been near enough quiet the entire time. She had spoken to him and he had just listened. Natasha told him about their friends, who had survived and who didn't. The guardians and Carol who were their space team. But she neglected to mention James and morgan. Natasha didn't think telling him about her son and Tony's daughter would be the best idea, especially since he had lost his own kids and was still mourning for them.

Once the two former assassins arrived back at the compound they were greeted by their team and thor who had arrived just a few hours before them.

Thor had looked quite sad when Clint laid eyes on him, he still kinda looked the same since the last time he saw him, but his long hair was slightly scruffier like he hadn't brushed it in a while and he looked smaller if that was even possible. It was almost like he'd lost some of the bulk of his muscle. But once the god's eyes landed on nat, they lit up, with a smile on his face to accompany them. He almost considered it strange at first until he realised that they probably kept in contact for the past few years. Natasha had told him about what happened to Thor before Thanos came. It didn't surprise him after that, that the god and Natasha would be close.

After greeting Thor with a smile and a big bear hug, Natasha made it a point to notice how far their time travel machine was coming on and impressively they had almost finished thanks to Rockets help. Natasha figured him and Tony would get this done quick, not that Bruce wasn't a big help but he was a bit too big to get into the smaller details although he did do most of the heavy lifting and Scott helped with the engineering, when he volunteered to do it everyone had given him a quizzical look, until he reminded everyone about his degrees.

This was it, they were almost there. Not long now.

It had been so long since Clint had been at this stupid compound. Now that he thinks about it, it has been almost 7 years. He remembered setting of the alarms off base so he could get wanda out. Wanda. It hurt to know she had gone too. He felt responsible for her after her brother sacrificed himself for him, she was so young too. He almost thought of her as a daughter.

As he followed Natasha through the compound to the common room, Clint got lost in his thoughts, thinking about all of his friends. It wasn't until his foot kicked something on the floor that he was broken out of his trance.

Looking down, Clint noticed that the thing he had kicked was a toy? Furrowing his eyebrows he stared at the child's toy in confusion.

Natasha had walked further on than him into the kitchen, not noticing his frozen posture.

As clint stared at the toy at his feet, the father of 3 started to notice more toys. They almost littered the floor if It wasn't for a box in the corner that had been placed there to keep them tidied away.

There were crayons scattered across the table, drawings covering the walls. Toy cars on the floor placed to look like they were racing each other. As clint looked around the room his eyes started to well. Seeing all these toys, it reminded him of home. His kids. Cooper, Lila and Nate.

Natasha hadn't noticed clint had stopped to stare at the toys in the room until she turned around to hand him a cup of coffee. Stopping instantly in her tracks she grimaced at the look on her friends face. She didn't even think about James's toys when they had come back.

"Nat. who's toys are these?"

Moving her feet so she could walk closer to clint, Natasha stopped in front of him. Placing the two cups onto the table, Natasha took a breath and looked him in the eye with a small smile on her face.

"They're my son's."

"What?" she had a son? That didn't make any sense. He thought she couldn't- Clint's eyebrows knitted themselves together even further, obviously curious about her answer.

"About a month after the snap, I found out I was 2 months pregnant."

"2 months? But that means you got pregnant when you were- oh." Clint's sudden realisation made him lose his voice. If she was pregnant when the snap happened, it meant she conceived the baby before. And before the snap, her sam and Steve were on the run together.

He knew that nat and Sam had just been friends and that's all. But Steve, nat and Steve were possibly even closer than him and her. They had been partners during shield. They had run the Avengers as co loaders after Ultron. And she had betrayed tony for him during the battle in Germany. He had no doubt, that Natasha's child was Steves. No doubt at all.

"Yeah" Natasha nodded at his silent conclusion. She leaned over to a cabinet at the side of the room and pulled a picture frame from it. The redhead passed it over to her friend for him to see.

It was a picture of her and James. She was pretty sure it had been pepper that took it one Christmas, James had a smile as big as a Cheshire cat on his face as she held him in her arms, both wearing garish red and green sweaters that lit up. A gift from tony of course.

"His name is James. James Samuel Clinton Rogers." clients breath caught in his throat as he heard his name. She gave her son his name?

"Congratulations nat. Really. I know you would never admit it but I know you always wanted this. Even when you believed you could never have it. I'm really happy for you, and Steve. I know he isn't here but I know he'd to be so happy for you too." as he finishes his sentence, Clint actually smiles at her. This was the first time she had seen him smile since she got him back. And she's guessing its probably the first time he's smiled in a long time. Leaning in she wraps her arms around her oldest friend embracing him into a hug. Clint was hesitant at first to receive the gentle contact. He hadn't been hugged in years. But once he felt the familiar feeling of safety with his friend, he instantly returned the gesture with the picture frame still in his hand..

"We're gonna do this Clint. We are. We're gonna get them back." After pulling back from their hug Natasha reassured him of their goal. He nodded at her words to make her feel better but honestly, he was still trying to not give too much hope to the idea. Truthfully he was terrified that if he focused all his efforts and hope into bringing his family back and he failed, that he would completely lose himself and the man he was would never return. No matter who came to save him.

It didn't take the Avengers long to work out a solid plan. With the help of everyone in the room, they figured out exactly where the stones had been before Thanos had taken them and even narrowed it down so that they didn't have to make multiple jumps

The plan was clear.

Jump back to the past. Get the stones. Do not let anything that already happened change. Jump back to the present. Use the stones with the new gauntlet. Bring everyone back. Return the stones to exactly where they got them from.

Sounds easy enough right? That's what they thought.

As Tony and nebula finished making the last of the bracelets for the team. The rest of the gang were planning on who would go to which destination to collect the stones.

Tony, Scott and Bruce would travel to 2012, during Loki's attack on New York to get the time, mind, and space stone.  
Thor and rocket would go to Asgard in 2014. The same time Jane had been possessed by the reality stone. Then Rhodey, Nebula, Natasha and Clint would jump to 2014 too. But rhodey and nebula would go after the power stone on Morag and Natasha and clint would fly the Benetar to Vormir, collecting the soul stone.

"Sounds good. Anyone wanna back out before its too late?" Clint questioned. Suddenly 9 pairs of eyes started to shift around the room, interested to see if anyone would do as Clint said.

But no one did. This was it. They finally had a chance, after 5 excruciating years of giving up hope. they were finally going to bring everyone they loved back.

9 bodies stood on the platform around the time machine. 9 nervous people who wanted to bring their family back, and would do whatever it takes to do it.

They had all been silent with worry as they stood on the time machine. Natasha noticed the looks on her friend's faces and spoke up.

"5 years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends. We lost family and we lost a part of ourselves. Today we get a chance to take it all back. Remember your missions. Stick with your teams. Don't let anything mess this up. If you can, try to avoid changing anything that could affect us. We don't get do-overs. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight our lives. And we're going to win, whatever it takes. Does everyone understand."

As she looked around at her team she saw each one nod at her. Following their orders from their captain. It was strange to be in charge of a team again, considering the last time she was it was with Steve, and with different teammates. But she fell right back into her old position.

"Shes really good at that huh?" Rocket piped up, making Natasha smirk at the little racoon. Looking down from his height, Scott smiled at Rocket and agreed. He really was a big fan of the Avengers. Kiss ass.

"Okay, let's do this." Tony said as they all punched in their coordinates and bruce activates the timer on the control panel. Then they waited for Friday to count down from ten, Natasha gave a final look to her team before they jumped and smiled as she said.

"See you in a minute." 


	6. Asgard 2013

Asgard 2014

It hadn't been long since the racoon and god landed in Asgard. After deactivating their bracelets and their suits retracting the two carefully navigated their way through the castle.

Rocket didn't fail to notice the glee on Thor's face at being in Asgard. He couldn't help but remember when he and his family found the 'pirate angel' as Drax had put it. Thor was the only survivor they found among the wreckage of his ship. And a survivor of the handful of Asgardians that were left. Rocket felt guilty all of a sudden seeing Thor's face marvelling at the little details of the palace. He didn't reach out or talk to Thor as much as he should have. Thor had been in a dark place and he should have done something. Even if it was just a call to him.

As he stayed in the shadows on the golden walls, thor smiled as he made way to the room jane had been staying in when she was here. All the memories he had made here, him and Loki running around the halls. Their father scolding them for damaging priceless items. Their mother giving them cuddles and kisses. It was almost heartbreaking to be here again. But at the same time, he felt right at home.

As Thor and Rocket rounded the corner of the hallway. They stopped at a room with two huge golded decorated doors that had voices coming from the inside. Janes room. The blonde thought.

"This it? Okay, you distract her and ill get the stone out."

"I don't think I can do this"

"What?! What do you mean?

Thor's breath suddenly started to get shorter, in little gasps. He was panicking. Rocket realised it must have been too much for him to handle being back here. Jumping up onto the ledge close to thors height, rocket faced thor and tried to calm him down. But Thor was just getting more anxious, the god was turning into himself, hunching his back over as his legs fell out underneath him bringing his knees to the floor, rocket noticed Thor was trying to squeeze himself tighter to comfort himself. It wasn't until a voice coming from the end of the hallway spoke that thors breath caught in his throat.

Trying to remain as quiet as he could, rocket jumped higher up the walls finding somewhere to hide so he wouldn't be spotted by whoever was coming closer. He knew Thor would be okay if someone saw him. He was the future king to his people, they wouldn't bat an eyelid.

Rocket watched as Thor, rose from the floor and Adjusted his posture to his regular height, but as the two started to interact, Rocket couldn't help but feel he was intruding. Deciding to leave the two, Rocket made his way into the room with the golden doors and proceeded on their mission to take the stone.

After returning to standing thors eyes started to widen as the voice that had broken him out of trance got closer.

As she walked around the corner with her handmaidens, queen Frigga told them to go on without her as she needed to check on jane. They graciously did as the queen said, taking off down another corridor.

But as Thor's mother made her way to janes door, she stopped. Feeling the presence behind her. Turning around Frigga laid eyes on her son, but something was different. He looked different from the last time she had spoken to him, and that was only a short time ago. But it wasn't the difference in appearance that had confused her. It was the look of pure joy and emotion of her son's face.

"Mother?" thors voiced broke as he uttered a word he hadn't used in years.

"Thor, What are you doing? You're better off leaving the sneaking to your brother." her face was covered in a light heated fondness for her son.

Trying to act as casual as he could, Thor curled in on himself as if trying to make himself seem smaller.

"now see I was just going for a walk…"

"What are you wearing?" her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she looked at him. Something was wrong.

"Oh, this? i always wear this. it's one of my favourite sweat-"

"your eye. what have you done to it?"

the mother of the god knew something was wrong. She knew it instantly. She was his mother. She had birthed him and raised him. This was her son, but it wasn't her son that she had seen just a few hours earlier.

"You're not the thor I have just spoken to hours ago are you?" she questioned the man. But she had no malice or ill intent on her face. The man in front of her, her son was clearly distressed, and she didn't want to upset him.

" what? No no no, of course, I am, which other thor would I possibly be?" Recovering from his little panic attack, thor gaped at his mother as she questioned who he was. And failing miserably at trying to convince her he was still the same thor, shook his head vigorously and shuffled on his feet, avoiding her eyes.

Watching the strange actions her son was making the queen walked up closer to him and rested her hand on his cheek. Stopping him instantly from moving and talking. Instead, he sunk his cheek further into her hand, he hadn't felt the touch of his mother in years. Once he did, it confirmed her suspicions

"Thor you are my son, I would know instantly if something was wrong. You've seen loss and guilt. All this from your future. Well, I suppose it would be your past wouldn't it?"

Thor could only nod his head at her.

"You're from the future. But tell me. Why are you here?" the blonde man sighed at her statement, of course, she would know.

"Something happened, a few years ago. But before it did, I had the chance to stop it and I made the wrong decision. It cost us half the universe. But a few days ago we were given another chance to fix things. That's why Im here. I need the Reality stone. I'll bring it back of course."

Oh, my sweetheart. Frigga pulled thor into her arms, hugging him just like she used to when he was younger. And he gladly accepted.

"I can't imagine what you must have felt, the guilt you must still feel. But thor, you must remember that just because you made a different decision, does not make what happened your fault, my son"

"You really think that?"

"Of course I do. Your heart means nothing but kindness. But I'm afraid I won't be able to help you in retrieving the stone from Jane"

The mans face dropped. She wasn't going to help?

"Why not?"

"Because whilst we were talking, your little rabbit friend has already taken the liberty of collecting it." she smirked at him. Thor's eyebrows knitted together at her words. It wasn't until rocket ran over to them with the vile that held it, that thor realised what his mother had said.

Rocket decided that he had made a good decision leaving Thor and his mother alone. The dude had lost her years ago and was seeing her again for the first time in ages. He didn't want to intrude on that.

Climbing his way higher up the walls of the bedroom doors, he pushed with all his strength to open them slightly to give a little leeway to let him in. thankfully neither Thor or his mother or Jane noticed the door moving.

All he needed was jane to turn her back so he could leap down and stab her. Well, not stab, but inject her so he could get the stone.

Staying up high and crawling across the walls so Jane wouldn't notice him, he saw an opportunity.

"Rocket! Did you get the stone already? Thor was surprised that his little friend had already retrieved the stone. How long was he talking with his mother?

Shrugging it of fas no big deal in front of the extremely pretty lady and thor, rocket replied.

"Yeah, I didn't wanna get in the way of you two so I thought id make our trip easier."

"So your thor's friend? Its an always an honour to meet my son's friends." the regal woman, tilted her head downwards to greet Thor's friend.

"Woah hahaha! An honour? To meet me? Well if you say so your highness" rocket grinned. God wait till they got everybody back and he told quill about this.

Smiling at the animal's enthusiasm, Frigga turned back to her son and took his hands in hers.

I suppose this means this is the last time I shall see you, my son. The older you of course. I love you so much thor." queen Frigga leaned forward on her tiptoes and kissed her son on his forehead.

Thor couldn't help but let out a small sob as she did. She had no idea this would be the last time she saw the younger or older version of him. Soaking the feeling of his mother, thor lingered as she pulled away. Lifting her hand upwards to his face, she curled a finger under his chin, making him look up at her.

"You will always be a hero Thor, everybody fails at who they are supposed to be, but what matters is you are still the same person you always have been. Now you better hurry and get back."

Nodding at his mother, Thor pulled away and turned before he stopped.

"Hold on, let me just try."

Sticking his arm out, thor scrunched his face in anticipation whilst rocket stared at Thor in confusion. Noticing the curious look on rockets face, the queen explained.

"It can sometimes take a minute"

All of a sudden, an object travelling at the speed of a bullet flew its self in through the window and into Thor's hand.

Mjolnir.

Suddenly Thor's eyes lit up, his mouth making the biggest grin rocket had seen. The god let out a lough laugh as he stared at the hammer in his hand.

"I'm still worthy?!"

"Of course you are sweetheart, you always will be." leaving with his mother's words still in his head, he and rocket made their way back through the palace to find a safe spot to jump from. It wasn't until they approached a certain door, the god realised they would need to go through the dungeons.

Then he remembered. There was someone in the dungeons that he hadn't seen in a long time also. Loki.

"Hello brother"

Letting out a huff of annoyance, Loki rolled his eyes and turned his head to the sound of his brother's voice.

"And what gives me the pleasure of having you visit me 2 times today brother?" Loki's usual sarcasm poured out. Thor didn't think he could possibly miss Loki's snide remarks towards him, but hearing it come out of his mouth confirmed it.

"No reason, but I suppose its to say goodbye." his older brother called out

Furrowing his brow, Loki sat up from his bed in the white room and cocked his head at his brother's words. But as he focused properly on his sibling, he noticed there was something different about him. He looked smaller as if he had lost some of his muscle. And his hair wasn't as attentively combed as he normally had it. Something was up.

"You see I'm from the future, time travel and all that. I just wanted to tell you that I love you brother. No matter what. And also, no one is ever going to believe you when you tell them."

Taken aback Loki thought Thor was lying until a creature of some sort came into view.

"Thor we need to go now! The guards are coming." the little animal shouted to thor.

The raven-haired man observed as his brother and the animal pushed a device on the back of their hands. Suddenly they were covered with a suit that looked like scales as it travelled up their bodies.

"Goodbye brother" Thor gave Loki a cheeky smile and then they jumped.

Watching in disbelief as Thor and the animal disappeared right in front of him, Loki ran further up to the window only to see there was nothing there.

"What in Valhalla's name just happened?" 


	7. New York 2012

New York 2014

Once they 3 men had arrived in a street in new york, they split up, each with their own mission to collect a stone each. Together they decided that Bruce should go for the time stone since it wasn't near the tower, which means no one would question why there were two hulks running about. Tony would get the mind stone which was currently residing inside Loki's staff. Remembering reports from Shield after the battle, Tony knew that agent Sitwell had taken it to store at Shield. All he had to do was find Sitwell and take it from him and lucky for tony, the genius now knew that Sitwell had been hydra this entire time.  
This means the space stone was now left to Scott. He was going to have to remain small so he didn't get noticed by the Avengers but with Tonys help it shouldn't be a problem.

Carefully manoeuvring his large body, Bruce climbed his way up the building in front of him. Sticking to the roofs, he hopped from each one until he recognised the sanctum he had landed in.

It took him a few minutes trying to retrace his steps from 5 years ago before he saw an orange glow in the corner of his eyes. Turning his head, the professor recognised the orange glow as the same spells doctor strange had conjured up. Following the orange circles glowing in the distance, Bruce jumped and climbed his way over to the building it was coming from.

Spotting a figure on the roof bruce realised as he got closer that this person was not Doctor Strange. But in fact an older bald woman?

As he climbed over the wall onto the rooftop of the sanctum, Bruce carefully walked his large figure over to the woman.

"Hey, I'm looking for Doctor Strange."

Having already been looking at him in curiosity since she'd seem him roof hopping, the woman smiled in surprise at the green man in front of her for asking her a question

"You're about… 5 years too early. Stephen strange is currently performing surgery 20 blocks that way." She replied, pointing over bruces shoulder at Metropolitan General Hospital.

"What do you want from him?" the ancient one pushed. To be completely honest this was not how she expected her day to go. She knew of the attack and of course, let it happen, knowing that the Avengers would save the day. She'd seen this future many times but this conversation wasn't in a single future she had seen.

"That actually" lifting his large green arm to aim at her chest, Bruce pointed his fingers to the necklace that laid on it. The Eye of Agamotto.

Huffing out a laugh, the ancient one couldn't believe her ears. Was this a silly little joke?

"Ahh! I'm afraid not.

Straightening his face, Bruce adjusted himself to a more serious attitude.

"Sorry, but I wasn't asking." Taking a step forward, Bruce held out his hands ready to take the necklace off of her neck. But staying right where she was without even flinching she spoke back.

"You don't want to do this." She warned. And she meant it.

"Ah you're right, I don't. But I need that stone and I don't have time to b-" whipping her hand out as fast as she could, the moment Bruce stepped into her reach. The Ancient One conjured her magic and pushed his spiritual form out of his body, revealing the human man he had once been.

As he flew backwards, the human bruce looked at the woman in shock. Cocking her head, she looked at his astral projection with a smirk on her face.

"Let's start over shall we?"

Making their way over to His old stark tower, Tony and Scott tried to keep themselves hidden so they could get past people and security without getting recognised. Knocking a nearby shield agent out near the tower, Tony stole his uniform and joined the rest of the shield swat team with a tiny Scott tucked away in his pocket. Thankfully they managed to get to the top of the tower, where the genius and his team of 5 had been with Loki after winning the battle.

Watching from under his tinted visor, Tony followed the younger version of Natasha with his eyes as she placed the sceptre into a case and handed it off to a member of Shield. Jasper Sitwell. Tony shook his head at the sight of the man. He remembered finding out about shield, well, hydra, all those years ago. He couldn't believe it at first, and now here Sitwell was, acting like the good guy. Pathetic.

Taking note of Sitwell and Romanoff's conversation, Tony made sure to memorise the details of their plan to get the sceptre back to shield.

Tony watched as the man was getting ready to leave with his team and the sceptre, but then Scott spoke up, bringing Tony out of his thoughts.

"So, what's the plan?" his little voice sounded out through his coms.

"See that case over there? The smaller one? That's the case were gonna put the tesseract in. You need to get in there and shrink it down and take it. They'll take the case down in the elevator in a few minutes and then they're gonna hand it off to Alexander Pierce but I'm gonna have to go for the sceptre before that." Tony whispered to the little man. Trying not to draw too much attention to himself.

"But then how am I supposed to get out of the case?"

"After I've got the Mind Stone, I'll make my way downstairs to you, get the case and open it slightly, just enough room for you to get out but you'll have to be quick, you got that Thumbelina?

"Okay yeah, I think so."

Climbing his way of out Tony's pocket, Scott jumped onto his shoulder, preparing for their next move.

"Okay, you ready," the genius asked him as Tony quickly ducked behind a wall, so no one would see as he got ready to launch Scott.

"Yes I am, Iron Man."

Waiting for the right moment, Tony paused with his hand in position to flick the tic tac into the direction of the case. After a few seconds, Jasper Sitwell made his move, taking the larger case with the sceptre with him and his team towards the back elevator.

Then, PING.

Scott was flicked across the room, on his way to the Tesseract case, and Tony had headed in the opposite direction towards Sitwell.

Shedding the Shield uniform, Tony made his way down the corridor, running after the shield agents. After piling inside the elevator together, brock Brumlow went to press the ground floor button until he paused at the sound of a voice.

"Hey hold that for me will you?" Tony shouted out to the agents. Running towards the elevator doors, Tony acted as if he was out of breath at trying to catch up with them.

Two of the secret Hydra agents, Rumlow and Sitwell glanced at each other, hesitant to keep the doors open. But before they could react, the billionaire's arm shoved its way in between the metal doors, making them reopen before they closed.

"Mr Stark? I thought you were coordinating the hand over for the tesseract?" Rumlow pointed out to the room.

"Yeah well change of plans, I thought I'd come with you handsome fellas instead" Tony grinned at them, shoving his way through the small box filled with agents.

As he settled himself in the centre of the elevator, Tony saw in the corner of his eye one of the shield agents in front of him reach for his holster very carefully. As if he was waiting for a fight. Tony shifted his eyes around him, taking note of how many guys were in here with him. There's no way he could take them on or fight them. he didn't want to risk anything. He needed to be smart about this. Tactical. Letting out a huff as part of his act, Tony opened his mouth to talk.

"I just got a call from the secretary of state, I'm gonna be running point on the sceptre."

Whipping their heads up, the agents looked at Tony in disbelief.

"Sir I don't understand." The slimy little man called Sitwell said to him with a confused look on his face.

"Oh yeah I forgot to say, we got words there may be an attempt to steal it. So you know, obviously they asked me to take it. I mean who better to leave it with other than iron man right?" Tony said smugly. God, he sounded like a douchebag right now. He thought.

"Sorry stark, I can't give you the sceptre." This time it was Brock Rumlow. Tony remembered this guy from Lagos. He wasn't there himself but he watched the surveillance footage back home. As Tony looked at the man he couldn't help but think he looked better burnt to a crisp.

"I'm gonna have to call the director." Sitwell reached for his pocket, ready to pull out his phone.

"That's okay bud, trust me." Tony could practically feel the eyes on the back of his head as he winked at the man. The small room filled with tension. One wrong move, one wrong word and this could all be over.

With a slight smirk on his face, Tony leaned closer to Sitwell and whispered into his ear.

"Hail Hydra."

Taken aback in shock, Sitwell's mouth hung open at the genius's words. There's no way, the agent thought. But to him, there was no other explanation. Tony Stark was Hydra.

Tony just leant back to his original position, smirking at Sitwell's reaction.

Next thing the billionaire knew, the elevator had stopped, the doors were opened right in front of him and he was walking straight out with the case in his hand.

Now he just had to get the stone out the sceptre, leave it in a place they could find later and avoid his past self and teammates as best he could so he could get Scott out of the case holding the Space Stone.

Even though he was prepping for it, Scott still didn't expect the force he was being flung at once Tony had flicked him off his shoulder. But alas, he was still focused on his mission.

Once landing on the table the case for the tesseract was on. Scott quickly ran over to it, hopping inside and waiting in between the foam that would keep the tesseract in place.

As he settled himself inside, Scott watched as the original Avengers handed the tesseract over to Black widow. The tiny man couldn't help but smile at the fact he actually knew these guys now. He knew the black widow! He knew all of them, he never would have thought all those years ago this would ever happen. Like, in a million years. In 2012, he had been on the verge of getting caught by Vistacorp and getting thrown in prison.

Walking over to the open case, Natasha held out the tesseract, placing it carefully inside the perfect cut out of foam. And then gently closed the case.

Then it went dark. But the blue glow of the Tesseract still gave him enough light to see what he was doing.

Pushing his way through the tight foam of the case, Scott tried his best to get as close to the Tesseract as he could considering whoever was holding the case was juggling it around as they walked towards the elevator.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa!" Was that Thor? Wow, he sounded a lot deeper and posher than when he had met him.

"What are you thinking? Maximum occupancy has been reached." This time it was 2012 tony that sounded out. He seemed louder than the others, Tony must be the one carrying him in the case.

"Take the stairs." The God spoke out.

Suddenly all Scott could hear was banging and smashing and various protests from whoever was inside the elevator with them. Probably the Hulk he thought.

Then the familiar 'ding' of the elevator sounded and the doors started to close by the sound of it. As Scott felt himself starting to descend down the building, he just faintly heard the sound of the hulk grumbling.

"Take the stairs. Hate the stairs."

Focusing back on his task, Scott turned back round to the tesseract.

Reaching his hand down to his tactical belt, Scott brought one of his Pym particle disks up to his chest and threw it like a frisbee at the tesseract. Successfully shrinking it down to his own size ratio.

Now all that was left is for his tony to come to get him from downstairs before he's passed over to shield.

"Hey, tic tac you hear me?" It was Tony. His tony, well not 'his' Tony but the older version from 2023.

Shooting his head up at the familiar voice. Scott flew his hand up to his ear to keep the com steady so he could hear Tony properly.

"Yeah! Are you here? I've got the Tesseract."

"Yeah, I'm here, I managed to swipe the mind stone of Sitwell, easy as pie ha! Now just sit tight. I'll create a distraction-"

Suddenly a loud green Hulk burst his way out of a stairwell, cracking the walls and breaking the doors, and also throwing the redressed shield agent tony halfway across the room. Through the commotion of the Hulk barging his way through the lobby, the 2012 version of Tony dropped the case holding the tesseract, sending it flying across the room and opening right in front of 2023 Tony.

"I guess that works too" Tony barely got out. the wind being knocked from lungs from the impact.

Eyes widening at the sigh of the silver case in front of him, Tony focused his eyes on the little man that jumped out of the case and ran towards him.

But once everyone in the lobby regained their footing from Hulk's sudden entrance, they realised that the Tesseract was missing from the case.

Pushing himself up from the floor, Tony stayed to the sides of the room, effectively slipping away from the crowd that was now in worry and chaos as they tried to look for the tesseract. Not knowing that the alien cube had been taken by a man the size of an ant and a future version of the billionaire genius.

"Please, please, please..." The scientist begged the woman.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you, Bruce. If I give up the Time Stone to help your reality, I'm dooming my own." She refused again as she turned away from him. She was the keeper of the time stone. With it, she protected her reality. There was no way she would give it up.

"With all due respect, I'm not sure that science really supports that." Bruce countered then in a quick flash she spun herself back round to face him, moving her hands in a dance to create a flow of magic in front of him, a display of a timeline with the stones.

"The Infinity Stones create what you experience as the flow of time. Remove one stone and that flow splits. Now, this may benefit your reality but my new one, not so much. In this new branched reality, without our chief weapon against the forces of darkness, our world will be overrun. Millions will suffer. So, tell me Doctor, can your science prevent all that?"

He watched as she removed the time stone and the solid orange line broke off into two, effectively showing bruce two timelines. One with the stone and one without. Realising what she was saying, Bruce let out a quick answer.

"No, but we can erase it. Because once we are done with the stones, we can return each one to its own timeline at the moment it was taken. So, chronologically, in that reality, they never left." His eyes looked brighter as he tried to get across his point.

Cocking her eyebrow, the Ancient One questions Bruce's plan.

"But you are leaving out the most important part. In order to return the stones, you have to survive."

"We will, I will. I promise." Letting out a sigh, Bruce steps closer to her, wanting her to see the desperation in his face but alas, she still doesn't budge.

"I can't risk this reality on a promise. It is the duty of the Sorcerer Supreme to protect the time stone." Twisting his body in annoyance and frustration, Bruce threw his arms around as if trying to prove a point.

"Then, why the hell did Strange give it away?" He shouted at her in confusion. Why would strange give it to them and she won't? Taken aback at the scientist's words, its now her turn to be confused.

"What did you say?"

"Strange, he gave it away. He gave it to Thanos." Bruce turned back to her as she spoke. Hands on his hips in defeat.

"Willingly?" Why would strange do that? She thought

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I have no idea. Maybe he made a mistake." Throwing his hands in the air, Bruce gave her an answer.

"Or, I did. Strange was meant to be the best of us." Looking down at the floor, the ancient one considered the future. She had seen it thousands of time and had no reason to doubt strange's loyalty to the stone. Maybe she made a mistake? Or maybe...

"So he must have done it for a reason?" Bruce finished her thought. Lifting her head and eyes back at the transparent man, she nodded.

"I fear you might be right." Raising her arms, she allowed her fingers to move outwards as she opened the Eye of Agamotto, its green glow being revealed from inside the necklace. Using her magic, the Ancient One moved it in the air until it was caught by Bruce who was now reimmersed into his Hulk form.

"Thank you." looking at the stone in his hand, Bruce realised she must have come to the same conclusion as him. That strange had given them the stone for a reason. Clenching his fist tightly so he didn't lose the stone, Bruce thanked her.

"I am counting on you, Bruce. We all are." Nodding at her once again in gratefulness, the giant professor took off, retracing his path back to the alley him Tony and Scott had landed in.

Arriving back at the alleyway, Tony and Scott got there first before Bruce, so to keep themselves hidden from the authorities the two got into a wrecked car and waited. A few minutes later the familiar green scientist showed up.

"Bruce! Did you get it?" Tony shouted. Immediately jumping out of the vehicle along with Scott. Both, the now fully sized tesseract and mind stone in their possession.

"Yeah, I got it!"

Letting out a laugh at his friend, Tony give him a big grin.

"Okay, so we're good then? We all got our stones?"

"Yep!" Scott answered enthusiastically.

Looking at both Bruce and Scott, Tony nodded. They'd actually done it. Now all they had to do was get back and meet the others on the platform of the time machine.

Activating the glowing circles on the backs of their hands, the three men were suddenly covered in their quantum amour.

"Let's go!"

Then they jumped. 


	8. Morag 2014

Morag 2014

"Okay keep going blue, yeah that's it." The planet of Morag was dark and cold, you could see from first glance it had been destroyed by something or maybe even a natural disaster. Once they jumped back to 2014, Clint pulled out the miniaturized Benatar that rocket gave him and placed it on the floor. Using a Pym particle disk he threw it at the ship, enlarging it to normal size. Now Nebula and Rhodey were trying to beam down the escape pod to land it on the ground just in case of an emergency.

Standing over near an edge, Clint and Natasha waited for the other two Avengers to land it when a small raptor looking creature called an Orloni came pecking at Natasha's foot. She looked down in disgust at the little creature and quickly gave it a boot a good few meters which made clint huff out a little laugh at her. Turning back round to Rhodey and Nebula, Clint shouted out.

"Can we hurry it up?" He didn't want to sound impatient but did it really have to take this long to land a little escape pod?

"Yeah, guys chop chop. We're on the clock." Agreeing with her oldest friend, Natasha shook her head and tried urging the other two.

Turning around to look at the two former assassins, Rhodey paused narrowing his eyes playfully and waved his arm around whilst pointing at them.

"All that is really helpful." He joked.

Smiling back at his sarcasm, Natasha just rolled her eyes and smiled.

"The ships ready." Nebula called out over the coms finally landing the Benatar, ready for Natasha and Clint.

Walking over to their friends, Natasha and Clint took turns giving Nebula and Rhodey a hug for good luck.

"Take care okay," Natasha tells rhodey as she hugs him. Nodding back at her he gives her his own orders.

"Now get the stone and come back, no messing around." Natasha just nods back at him and pulls away, ready to get on the ship.

"Hey, we got this." Patting Rhodey on the shoulder, Clint reassures him of their mission. Rhodey was still a little hesitant with Clint. He hadn't seen the guy in nearly 7 years now, and for 5 of those had been killing people all over the world. He still felt devastated for the archer though, he lost his entire family. Rhodey just wished that they could get this done and get everyone back already.

"Get it done." He told Clint, also giving his shoulder a pat back.

As Clint and Natasha made their way up the ramp of the Benatar, Rhodey quickly called out to them before he and Nebula waited for Quill.

"You guys watch each other 6." The two best friends smile at him and close the ramp. He and the blue woman stand as they watch the two leave in the ship.

"Co-ordinates for Vormir were layed in, all they have to do is not fall out." Nebula dryly joked at Rhodey, earning a huff and smile off her friend.

Once the ship powered its self into the air, it took a few seconds before it made its hyperspace jump. Making them travel at the speed of light until they reached Vormir.

Watching through the window at the light moving around them in colourful beams, Clint was taken aback for a second. Not realising how beautiful it was. As he smiles, he couldn't help but recall a running joke between him and his redhead friend.

"This is a long way from Budapest." Natasha just laughed at him. He was right. This was was a long way and also a lot more complicated.

"Okay so uh, we just wait around for this Quill guy to show up and he leads us to power stone, is that it?" Nebula nods. It shouldn't be too long now until the idiot shows up she thought. In all honesty, she wouldn't admit it but she did miss him. She missed them all, she was glad to still have Rocket, they hadn't been friendly when they first met but over the next few years until Thanos snapped his fingers they had become family.

Now they were the only 2 survivors of that family but after the battle, that family had grown again. There were more of them now, Tony, Thor, Natasha, Carol and rest. Even little Morgan and James. But even though she had made new friends and her family expanded, she was going to fight as hard as it would take to get the others back.

"Let's take cover. We're not the only ones in 2014 looking for the stone." Her husky voice told her armoured friend. Turning towards the temple, she started to take a few steps before Rhodey's voice stopped her.

"Wait what are you talking about right now, who else is looking for these stones?" His voice was now concerned. He knew thatQuill was coming here soon to retrieve it but she didn't mention anyone else.

"My father and my sister and me." Nebula bowed her head, almost as if she was ashamed. She wasn't proud of the things she used to do. She especially hated that she had been so willing to do whatever Thanos wanted.

"You? Where are you right now?" rhodey noticed the way she turned in on herself and instantly softened his face, she was his friend and he knew she had made up for all the things she had done in the past.

Thinking about his question, Nebula tried to recall back to all those years ago and if she wasn't mistaken, she was fighting some mechanical threat until it got the upper hand and her sister had to save her from it. Nebula smiled as she remembered how she had felt about Gamora then. She used to get so angry that her sister had to save her. Nebula regretted not getting the chance to do the same back in 2018.

As the two mechanically enhanced beings waited in the dark behind some ruble close to the temple, they started to hear the faint sound of music coming from the left entrance and quick oddly paced footsteps. Rhodeys eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he listened for the person about to come through the archway.

"Come and get ya love." Suddenly a voice sang out, very terribly as they listened to music through an old walkman and headphones. Then the figure hopped his way into the room they were in. This must be Quill, Rhodey thought. The war machine looked on at the man over the piece of rubble they were hiding behind as he continued to dance all the way over to the locked doors. Picking up an Orlion that had been running past his feet, Star-lord held it up to his face and started to sing into it like a microphone. Immersing himself fully into the song as if he were in concert.

Sighing. Rhodey turned his head to Nebula who was also looking at her sister's boyfriend in annoyance.

"So he's an idiot?" he concluded. Releasing a deep breath, nebula just turned her head at her Terran friend.

"Yes."

Slowly and quietly, so that he couldn't be heard over the music, Rhodey suited up his helmet and made his way over to the dancing man until he got a few feet behind him. Then in the middle of his dance routine, quill whipped his head to his left side but quickly came in contact with a huge metal figure with white glowing eyes, but he didn't have long to react to it because as soon as he laid eyes upon the armour, Rhodey had already knocked him out cold.

Impressed with Rhodeys knock out punch, Nebula made her way to the two men from her hiding spot. Reaching for Quills body, she crouched down and started to rummage through his pouches and pockets. Until she went through the right one and pulled out a slim long device.

"What's that?"

"A tool of a thief."

Taking a few more steps towards the locked double doors, Nebula bent down at the lock of the door, carefully shoving the tool into the lock. After moving it up and down for a few seconds, the door suddenly unlocked. Giving the large door a slight push, it swung open, revealing a podium down the corridor, with blue lasers surrounding a little orb on a stand in the middle of it.

Looking at the glowing blue light lighting up the dark room, Nebula makes her over to get the stone but a hand grabbing onto her arm pulls her back, stopping her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. This is the part where all the spikes come out with skeletons on the end of them and everything." Nebula just stares at him in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"When you break into a place called 'the temple of the Power Stone' there's gonna be a bunch of booby traps." Rhodey waved his arms around at the edges of the room as if trying to point out the traps on the sides. Rhodey had seen Indiana Jones way too many times.

Blinking at the man, Nebula turns back round to the corridor that leads the way to the power stone and walked straight over to it.

"Okay, alright, go ahead." Pursing his lips, Rhodey swallows his defeat and embarrassment and follows the cyborg.

Getting closer, Rhodey starts to hear the constant buzz of the blue lasers protecting the stone. Nebula, reaching her arm out, shoves it straight through the burning blue beams. Singeing the outer layer of her cybernetic arm, nebula doesn't feel a thing as it burns its way all the way down to the metal bone replacements.

Grabbing the orb, Nebula pulls it out of its cage and drops into Rhodeys hand and he tucks it away into his armour. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Nebula looks at Rhodey to find him staring at her arm, and she then feels the need to offer an explanation, or at least say something.

"I wasn't always like this."

"Me either but we work with what we've got right." it wasn't a look of pity Rhodey gave her, but a look of empathy.

"Suit up, you ready?" nebula nods at rhodey, activating her bracelet and getting ready to jump.

"Okay 3, 2 and 1."

Instantly she sees Rhodey shrink down and disappear. But shes still there?

Pressing the button on her bracelet nebula tries again to jump but instead of jumping, a spark lights up inside of her helmet, shocking her. She immediately starts to feel pain in her right temple. Deactivating the helmet, the blue woman grabs the side of her head as she screams at the feeling inside.

"AAAAHHHHRRRHHHH" Screaming is the only things that can be heard on the Sanctuary II. In the middle of the torture chamber Thanos had built, Nebula is hung up under the beam of light, her cybernetics being undone and pulled apart as if she were a toy.

She continues to scream and they are pulled further away from her body and a wire is shoved into the back of her head, connecting up to the cyber system inside of her.

Thanos and his children surround the cyborg as he keeps torturing her. Her brothers and sister Promixa all watch without even blinking, but Gamora is the only one who looks on with doubt in her eyes, she and Nebula had been rivals since childhood but she was her sister, more of a sister than the rest.

As Gamora tolerates her sister's torture, Nebula stops screaming. Narrowing her brown eyes she sees her sisters eye flicker with light. Before she can question her father about it, a hologram image is projected from her eye socket. It's her memories.

As the image grows clearer, Thanos looks in in curiosity as the image that appears. It's him. But he's burned all down one side fo his body and someone is gripping his head with their arm so he cannot move.

"I Used the power of the stone's to destroy themselves. Reducing them to atoms. They're gone for good. They served their purpose." The familiar sound of his own voice spoke as the memory played in front of him and his children.

"No. no, they can't be. Where are they?" He couldn't see the woman who had spoken but as she interrogated him she sounded upset. She was desperate for her answer.

"I told you. They're gone. I'm inevita-" Before Thanos could finish his sentence, there's a quick movement and then the hologram plays out the final moment in his life. His head being chopped off.

Gasping at the video, Gamora steps forward in shock. It didn't make any sense, her father was here with her, how could she be seeing him dying from a memory in nebulas head?

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing... yet." His answer is slow as he realises what the footage means.

"They're not trying to stop something I'm going to do in our time, they're trying to undo something I've already done in theirs."

"The stones?" Gamora starts to understand what he means.

"I've found them all, I won, tilted the cosmic scales to balance." The purple titan lets himself grin at the prospect of finally doing what he had been trying to achieve for years.

Hearing a shuffle behind him, he sees gamora kneel and bow her head to him.

"This is your future." Interrupting the moment of glee, Ebony Maw spoke up in anger.

"This is my destiny." Thanos raised his head proudly. He may have watched himself be beheaded but he had done his job. Walking closer to the hologram, Thanos pointed at the picture of his lifeless body.

"That is destiny fulfilled" Ebony Maw's eyes widened in shock at his father's words.

"Sire you daughter is a traitor"

"No that's not me I could never betray you." Chocking out the words, nebula disagreed, the hologram ending and stopping the projection in front of the tortured woman. Hearing nebulas desperation Thanos walks closer to his daughters hanging the body and rests his hand on her shoulder.

"I know and you'll have the chance to prove it daughter."

Once the transmission is over, nebula lets out a breath and falls to her knees. Somehow she had connected to her younger selfs network, linking them so that her 2014 self could see everything. But it wasn't just a one-way connection. Nebula saw everything that was happening to her younger self right now. Including Thanos finding out about their mission.

Her black eyes widen in realisation. He Knows.

"No... he knows." Jumping back onto her feet quickly, nebula runs back to the escape pod she left for herself on Morag. Climbing on board, the cyborg immediately goes to reach the communicator. Typing in the right code, the communicator lights up.

"Romanoff? barton come in" Her husky voice hurries as she speaks. This is bad. Really bad and she needs to tell her other friends who left for Vormir but their not picking up.

"We have a problem. comm in dammit. Thanos knows." Trying desperately nebula keeps trying to comm into Natasha and Clint but it's a lost cause. There's no answer.

Then she hears a humming in the air. It's coming from above. Hanging the com back onto its latch on the side of the pod, she walks towards the ramp of the ship and pokes her head out just enough to see the Sanctuary II in orbit. Beaming down light, the Sanctuary starts to lift the pod of the ground. Taking it from Morag and bringing it onto the ship.

After getting captured by her father, she's taken to the torture room where her younger self is waiting. Nebula had never really thought about it much but seeing her 2014 self, so angry and naive to Thanos was strange.

Fighting and beating her, the younger Nebula doesn't stop trying to interrogate her older traitor self. At one point she laughs in her older version's face, in disbelief that she would ever betray her father or his mission.

Watching from the sidelines is Gamora. Her lost sister. The Avenger tried to talk sense into her green sibling, she knew she had a chance. Gamora was days of forming the guardians, she was already planning on betraying Thanos right now. She just needed her help.

But shes knocked back down by her 2014's fighting body.

Instead of fighting back, Nebula just takes the blows until they stop.

Perhaps taking the blows would have been easier than what happened next. It made nebulas stomach turn at the thought of her adoptive father's plans.

Pulling out a knife, her younger self threatens her up close, bringing it up to her neck and pressing hard on what was left of her true skin. But instead of cutting or killing her. 2014 nebula digs it under her golden faceplate. The only thing distinguishing the two, and attaches it to her own face. Assuming her older selfs identity.

Also taking her quantum bracelet, she hands it to her father, allowing him the knowledge to travel to their future. With her outward appearance now identical to her future self, save for her burned arm, which was easily coverable, the younger nebula was now equipped with the Advanced tech suit. And with her older self acting as a teather to the future, she activated the beacon and jumped to 2023.

Nebula was powerless to stop her as she jumped. She watched in distress as her 'loyal-to-Thanos' self took her place, she feared for her friends, their lives, their families, little James and Morgan.

Not only did she fear what her younger self would do, she feared her father and him having the technology to travel to the future. Their future was at risk. Their world. 


	9. Vormir 2014

Vormir 2014

The two assassins soon arrive at the planet Vormir after taking the Benatar from Morag.

As they look around at the planet, Clint cannot help but feel overwhelmed, vormir was tragically beautiful, he couldn't believe he was standing on ground that was a different planet from earth.

"This would be awesome if not for the circumstances." Natasha gives him a sad hopeful smile. She knows he misses Laura, just like she missed Steve. Looking up at the mountain in front of them, it's almost blatantly obvious that's where they needed to go. The two giant pillars reaching up to the clouded sky above them. Kind of cliche really.

Natasha and clint start their journey of climbing up the hill, as surprising as it seems it doesn't take too long for them to reach the top. But it was exhausting, despite its shorter journey to the top, the steepness made up for it.

As they reach the top the two assassins take a second to look at the view. Nebula had told them Vormir was the 'very centre of Celestial Existence' and anyone could tell by looking at it that what she said was true. As Natasha looked up at the black sky she couldn't help but gasp at the beauty of it. A forever eclipsing sun shining purple. The planets and stars in the sky. Every new detail she saw she made a note to remember, she couldn't wait to tell James about this place.

Hearing a whisper of a movement behind them the archer and spy quickly draw out their weapons and spin on their feet, Natasha pulling out her gun and Clint handling his bow and arrow. Both aiming at the same figure in front of them.

"Welcome, Natasha, daughter of Ivan, Clint, son of Edith." The husky accented voice called out to them. Natasha and Clint stared at the figure with the deep male voice in apprehension and confusion. He was floating off the ground and covered in a damaged cloth and a red face. He almost looked like a dementor from harry potter. And he knew their names, but also their parents. Not even Natasha had known her parent's names until she went searching for them after Shield fell, and even after she found out she never told anyone but Steve. So who was this guy?

"Who are you?" The redhead called out.

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the soul stone." She raised an eyebrow at his words.

"Oh, good. Tell us where it is, then we'll be on our way." She replied. Her weapon still drawn.

"Ah, lieschen. If only it were that easy."

Turning away from them, the cloaked figure floats away and towards the edge of the cliff top. The two Avengers follow him and look out over the edge at the hill as if they expected the stone to be there, but they were met with only the rough ground at the bottom of the cliff.

"What you seek lies in front of you. As does that which you fear."

"The stone's down there." Natasha concluded, it had to be. Why else would he bring them to the edge of the cliff? His deep voice still behind them spoke out again.

"For one of you. For the other, in order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul for a soul."

Stepping away from the edge, the two Avengers take a minute to digest what the red-faced man had just told them. They don't actually know how long they had been pacing and sitting for, it felt like hours but probably only lasted a few minutes. Natasha sat on a rock close by the edge, contemplating his words. You must lose that which you love? She wasn't an idiot. She knew what it meant. To lose what you love?

They came here with a mission, the two of them. To get the stone. There was no way they couldn't come back without it, but coming back with the stone meant that one of the wouldn't.

She couldn't let her oldest friend die. They were so close to getting their friends and family back, he couldn't die before he got to see them again. But she couldn't help but think of James either. She knew he would be okay without her. He had everyone else to protect him and raise him, and if her team was successful, then James would have Steve. He would have his father back.

Sighing and standing to her feet, Natasha walked over to the pacing clint and grabbed his hands, making him face her. At first, she avoided his eyes, as if she was shy about what she was going to say.

"If we don't get that stone, billions of people stay dead." Nodding his head in agreement Clint held onto her hands. She was right, if they didn't do this billions of people, half of life is dead. Gone forever. One person or half of the universe. It's a no brainer, he thought. For years he dreamed of getting them back. His family. And today he has the chance to do that and Clint was prepared to do whatever it took to get them back, even if that meant not being here when they did.

"Then I guess we both know who it's got to be."

Smiling softly at her friend, she agreed. "I guess we do."

They pause for a minute, the silence almost awkward as they stand to hold each other's hands. Clint started to laugh at the situation.

"I'm starting to think we mean different people here, Natasha." Guilty.

"Clint I can't let you do it. We're this close to getting Laura back, the kids. You've been through hell. I can't take you away from them. And all these years I've been trying so hard to bring everyone back. Let me do this."

"Oh, don't you get all decent on me now." Clint rolled his eyes at her words. They were both completely stubborn inside and out.

"What, you think I want to do it? I'm trying to save 'your' life, you idiot."

"Yeah, well, I don't want you to, how's that? What about James? huh? Your son? Natasha, you know what I've done. You know what I've become. I won't let you do this. I won't… won't make my nephew an orphan."

"So it's okay for you to leave your children but it's not okay for me? Clint, they need you."

"They'll have Laura. They lived for years with me disappearing and going on missions, every time they were prepared for the worst just in case I didn't come back. They'll be okay. "

"And so will James. He has his uncles and his aunts, he has you. He'll have Laura, the kids, he'll have his father back. He would have everyone there for him." Her breath caught in her throat as she mentioned her son.

"You know what I've become without them, Natasha." She grimaced. She knew what he had done in their absence but that didn't mean he deserved to die.

"Well, I don't judge people on their worst mistakes."

"Maybe you should." Clint scoffed. He knew what he had been doing these past few years and he did it willingly. Not concerned about anyone or anything. Only wanting revenge.

"You didn't." Clint squeezed his eyes at her words. He knew she was thinking of her past. But she didn't do the things she did back them by herself. It was the red room and the KGB that made her do it and she had more than made up for it. She wiped the red out of her ledger years ago. She couldn't still think she had any left, did she?

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?"

Looking at each other again, the two best friends lent their heads against each other, comforting each of them as they realised this could be the last moment they may spend together. Sighing clint pulled back slightly from their embrace.

"Okay. You win." He breathed out. But before she could react to his words he grabbed her by her neck and threw her down on the ground, effectively knocking the wind out of her lungs and making her eyes slam shut at the sudden blow. Holding her down on the ground clint looked at his friend and gave her a sad smile.

"Tell my family I love them."

Finding her strength again, Natasha manoeuvres her arm to grab her widow bite and pushes him off as she shocks him. She stands her foot on his chest to keep him down.

"Tell them yourself."

Using Clint's body as a step she pushes herself of him and makes way for the cliff. As she runs her breath quicken in fright. Every pace she moved flashes of her life overtook her. Her memories from the red room, clint sparing her, becoming an Avenger, meeting wanda and Peter, falling in love with Steve, the snap… James. James had saved her life all those years ago. Her beautiful boy, hair just like his dads. He was perfect in every way. Of course, she didn't want to die, she didn't want to leave her baby, but if she could sacrifice herself to bring half the universe back then she would. James would be okay, he would have the biggest family in the world to take care of him. And Clint would have his family back, the archer had saved her life all those years ago and now she was about to return the favour.

However, as she approached the edge. She was forced back by a hand pulling on the back of her uniform, the force of the action swinging her around until she was rolling on the floor in the opposite direction of the cliff.

As she steadied herself from the spinning, Natasha sees Clint make his way to the cliff. She gets up and runs over to him, enticing him into a fight. As they struggle to gain the upper hand, Natasha gives him a hard blow to the face, he's taken aback from the hit, making him dizzy for a few seconds. But those few seconds were long enough for Natasha to make her move, turning away from Clint, she runs to the edges and jumps.

Her mind races as she falls. The wind winding around her body, whistling at the weight of her falling.

As she falls, she tries to flood her mind with images of her family. The Avengers. Steve. James.

But suddenly the air is different, the whistling even louder.

Hitting her from the side is a large figure. It's Clint. He jumped after her. Reaching for her body as they fall, Clint grabs onto her and latches on a device to her back. A device he had swiped from her just minutes earlier.

Clint throws the cord upwards to attach to debree at the ledge top, the sudden stop almost gives her whiplash, but it doesn't stop her from reaching out for Clint's hand. Natasha grips it as hard as she can, holding his entire weight beneath her. But he's too heavy. She's strong, she always had been, especially since the red room had administrated their version of the serum. But he was still too heavy and bigger than her. There was no way of holding his weight with her own strength whilst a single cord held them both up. A cord that was specifically designed for her size.

Throwing her head up to the ledge she sees has secured her to the cliff.

"Damn you!" There are tears in her eyes as she shouts at him. But Clint just smiles back at her.

"Let me go." His voice is barely a whisper, but she hears it loud as day.

"No. please don't." Natasha pleads with him, his weight is getting too much now, and she can't hold onto him with two hands without letting go of the cord but if she lets go of the cord she'll be flipped and they'll both fall. As she cries, Clint can feel her tears hitting him from above as she looks upon him.

"It's okay, Tasha it's okay. Laura will be okay. She will, they all will. Tell them I love them." She can hear the strain in his voice as he tries to speak gently, he doesn't want to cause her more pain. So he just gives her a smile. Tears now filling up his own eyes. Natasha screams out again, her grip faulting and she clutches on with dear life.

Dangling from her hand, the archer pushes his foot against the stone of the cliff, giving him leverage and enough power to push against it. Natasha is too weak from holding him up to secure her hand around his, the force of his push detaches their grips, effectively making him fall. But even though he was facing Natasha, all Clint could see were images of his family. The day he met Laura, god, he thought he was punching well above his weight. He remembered the day he had proposed. It was really shitty to be honest, just the two of them eating takeout watching rubbish tv in the middle of the night after coming back from one of his first few missions, but he wouldn't have changed it for the world. Seeing her eyes light up at the little ring he had bought her. He remembered his exact feeling when she had told him she was pregnant with Cooper, their first child. That was nearly 20 years ago believe it or not. He still carries around the scan pictures with him, after all this time. His eldest son would have been 20 this year, his daughter, 17 and Nate, 8.

They were everything to him, his entire life. So as he fell, his last moments were thinking of them. Remembering Laura's kisses, his children's voices and hugs.

Just them.

As the redhead watched her oldest friend fall further away from her she screams in disdain.

"Clint!"

The sound of his body hitting the ground is one that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

All she can do as she peers down at her friend's lifeless body is sob and cry. Her breath catching in her throat every time she breathes out.

But then the sky lights up. The two identical structures that sit at the edge of the cliff glow with a blue light and it pushes from the bottom upwards into the sky, creating a ring of blue as it pulses through the dark grey clouds.

Shooting her eyes open, Natasha gasped for air like she had been starved of it. Looking around her she realised she was laid down in a shallow lake of water. Slowly sitting herself up, Natasha made herself horizontal to the ground she sat on. The events of a few minutes ago coming back to her.

Then she realises there's something in her hand.

Opening up her left palm, a warm orange glow lights up her face as she brings it closer to her.

The soul stone.

There was only one reason she would have it.

Natasha knew that the exchange was done. A soul for a soul, clint was gone. Closing her eyes, Natasha clutched the stone to her chest and pulled her legs up closer to her, letting out cries at the realisation that he was gone forever.


	10. Snap

One by one, each Avenger jumped from their time and destination they had collected the stones from, joining each other in the quantum vortex.

It doesn't take a few seconds before they are all their normal size again and landing on their feet onto the platform of the time machine in the hangar.

Once they land, they all deactivate their quantum bands around their wrists, the nano armour retracting from their bodies returning them to their normal suits. The air starts to fill with happiness and laughs as the team started talking to each other and realised they had the stones and started to give each other high fives and hugs. They'd done it! But the celebrations the team had started were soon cut short.

Natasha watched as her friends embraced in hugs and told each other welcome back. But no-one had taken notice yet of her, and the absence of one of their own. Except for nebula, she wasn't celebrating like everyone else, instead, she was looking around and saw her upset face.

Falling to her knees, a loud bang echos in the room at the sound of her legs collapsing. Suddenly everyone stops and whips their heads in her direction. They all fall silent as they look at her face, there are traces of tears on her cheeks, her eyes reddened. It's after Tony sees her face that he notices that there is one less person in the room than before they left. Clint wasn't stood beside her.

"Natasha? Wheres Clint?" Tony calls out to her, worried about his friend he immediately steps over to her and bends slightly to wrap an arm around her shoulder. At Tony's question, the rest of the Avengers start to move their heads around and shifting their eyes side to side trying to find the archer among their group, even looking around the room in the furthest corners in case he had landed in a different spot or had possibly arrived before them. But alas, he wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Once the group had finished searching the room, they all turned back to Natasha, waiting for her answer, the braided redhead carefully reached her arm outwards to the group, her clenched hand opened, her fingers slowly uncurling, revealing the orange infinity stone.

"Th- there-there was a price. A soul for a soul." she could barely even whisper her words as she finished speaking.

Watching as her head dropped and she started to silently sob, Tony shut his eyes and held onto his friend tighter as he accepted the truth. Clint was gone.

The rest of the team watched Natasha and tony with sorrow in their eyes. Of course, thor rhodey and bruce's reactions were more emotional than the others in their team. They had been friends for years, they had met his kids, his family. Scott and rocket were also saddened at the realisation. And nebula remained indifferent. They may have only known him for a short time, some of them only a few days, but he was their teammate. And today they lost him.

It took a few minutes for her to stand up and move, but with Tony's help, he helped her up onto her feet and led her away from the time machine and took her to her room to be alone.

The rest of the Avengers took a moment to mourn as Tony took Natasha. Rhodey, Bruce, rocket and Scott changed out of their suits and into normal clothes and went to sit outside near the lake. Nebula had wondered off, distancing herself from the team so they wouldn't suspect anything, using the teammate's death as an excuse to exclude herself. After taking Natasha to her room, Tony left to join the boys on the deck to talk about their fallen friend. Each sharing a different story about him.

Tony mentioned the first time Clint took them to his house, and that he thought Laura and the kids were agents, which made rocket laugh at Tony's stupidity to assume that the kids were agents.

Bruce only had stories from their time between the battle of new york and Ultron. Going on missions together, patching everybody up when they were hurt.

Of course, rocket had only just met him, but the racoon did share his thoughts about Clint. And that he was genuinely sorry about his family, and that he respected the archer.

And Scott, well Scott only really had memories from the incident from the accords. Teaming up, then getting arrested together. In the end, he and Clint had taken deals, both having to wear an ankle monitor for 2 years. It was a crazy thought to him. Ti was 7 years ago but to him only 2.

After the 4 boys had finished sharing, they make their way back inside the compound and into the workshop.

But when the boys were outside, Thor had gone to see Natasha. She had taken care of him for years, always making sure he was okay, keeping him on the right track. He knew how she must be feeling, she lost a friend, a man that was practically a brother. Now it was his turn to comfort her.

Knocking on her door, he waited until he could vaguely hear the soft voice of his friend telling him to come in. gently, Thor pulled the handle down and pushed the door open. Making his way in, he saw Natasha sat on the edge of her bed, staring into nothing, her hands in her lap.

walking over to her, the blonde god slowly sits next to her, the mattress dipping as he did. For a few seconds, he's silent, unsure of what to say, but eventually, he tries his best to comfort her.

"I spoke to my mother"

His words gain her attention, she didn't expect it. Natasha lifts her head slightly to look at the blonde.

"You did?" gently thor nods his head at his friend. The hint of a smile making its way to his lips.

"I miss her so much, she knew who I was straight away, she always knew what to say and what to do"

This makes Natasha smile when he mentions his mother's maternal instinct.

"I bet she did. Us moms always know what to do."

"If she was here, I know she would do a better job of comforting you as you said, mothers always know what to do, especially to make you feel better. I know Clint was your oldest friend and I'm deeply sorry about him and I will remember him forever for his bravery."

Turning to face his friends, thor reaches out his arms and pulls her into a hug, practically engulfing her frame with his. But she didn't mind, Natasha just returned the hug, grateful for the comfort.

"Thank you, Natasha, for being there for me always." Natasha meant a lot to Thor, she really did. She was one of the only people he kept in contact with after all these years, and after losing his people and last of his family she comforted him and practically became his family, she was like a sister, and her son his nephew.

"Your basically my big brother Thor, ill always be there for you," she said back, her nose quietly sniffling.

"And I, you. I know if Clint was here he would demand I look out for you and have your 6, and when we get everyone back, ill make sure to tell his family that he will forever reside in Valhalla for his sacrifice and that he was the best of us."

Slightly pulling away from their hug, thor stretched his neck to the side and gave a gentle kiss to Natasha's cheek.

" in all honesty Natasha, I can't help but be glad you came back. As awful as it sounds."

She took no offence to his words, she knew he felt guilty to say it considering her return came at a price.

"It's okay Thor, I know what you mean. We fought when we were on vormir, em and Clint. Neither of us wanted each other to do it, and for a few seconds, I thought it was gonna be me. I jumped and then the idiot jumped after me. But in those few seconds when I was falling, all I could think about was James."

At the mention of her son, her eyes start to water. She hadn't realised before when she and Clint were on vormir how serious it actually was. She would have died. Gone forever. She would have never seen her baby again.

"I'm forever in his debt. Even now he's gone. He gave his life to save mine, to save everyone. So I could see my son again, I can't imagine not seeing him, the thought of not being there for him. Clint gave me another chance at life today. He's a hero,"

"Yes he is." thors heart nearly broke at her words, she talked about not being able to see her son anymore, and that Clint has saved her again. He couldn't himself imagine her not being here either. Natasha had been such a constant these past few years, both her and his nephew.

Natasha wiped the tears that had fell from her face, finally calmed down. After making sure she was okay, Thor and Natasha both left to join the rest of their friends in the workroom, where Scott, Tony, rocket and Bruce were now constructing their own gauntlet.

Standing in the back of the room, Natasha watched as the genius, hulk and racoon worked to insert the infinity stones into the iron gauntlet. Thor and rhodey were stood on her left also watching the three work, but nebula was nowhere to be seen and hadn't since they got back.

Natasha had noticed nebula had been absent for a while, but just put it down to her wanting to let them have their time to mourn.

Everyone minus the blue cyborg watched tensely as the metal hands of the machine picked up each stone and place them into the gauntlet one by one, it was nervewracking watching them attach to the metal. rocket, tony and Bruce watched up close to the glass as the machine placed the last one. With all 6 stones now attached, the gauntlet let off a glow of power.

"BOO!" the sudden fright make tony and bruce jump a mile. All rocket could do was laugh at them for jumping at his joke. nothing was going to happen when they placed them in the metal of course, but rocket couldn't help himself, it was too much of a good opportunity.

With the gauntlet assembled, the rest of the team suited up.

It was time.

"You saw what those stones did to Thanos, they almost killed him. None of you could survive that." Bruce knew he had to be the one to do it. It was just logical. He couldn't let thor do it, even with his persistence he wouldn't let the god try. Bruce knew Thor had felt enormous guilt from not killing Thanos the day of the snap, Thor was still mentally trying to heal and move on, he wasn't in the right shape of mind. Not to mention he had a race of people he had to take care of.

Walking over closer to him to speak, Natasha put her hands on her hips, like a mother scolding her child and looked up to reach the green man's eyes.

"How do we know you will?" the braided redhead was obviously concerned, she didn't want anything to happen to her friend, not after just losing her oldest one.

"You don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like I was made for this." not fighting his words anymore, Natasha nodded. There was no stopping him and truth be told she knew he was right. She knew none of the rest of them wouldn't be able to take that kind of power. If it was going to be any of them that had a chance of coming out of this alive. It was Bruce.

The 6 other Avengers spread themselves around the room, Natasha was kept shielded behind Tony and his virtual shield whilst also holding her soldiers rounded one, tony suited up in his nono tech iron man suit.

Scott kept by the door and activated his helmet for extra protection. Thor and rocket stood opposite to Natasha and tony, also shielding themselves from any blows the stones may cause, and just in case, thor held Mjolnir and Stormbreaker in defence.

And in the middle of the room, Bruce stood holding the iron gauntlet, waiting to put it on. Once he was sure his friends were protected from the more than likely blast, he lifted his left arm holding the glove up and guided it to his right hand.

The small metal glove moved and adjusted itself to fit bruces hand as he glided it inside. The once human-sized glove was now able to fit his larger one.

Once on, the stone's power raced through bruces arm and body, making him scream in pain and fall to his knees. The stones were powerful, more powerful than anything in the universe, and now it was coursing through his veins.

Inbetween his screams he could hear his teammates telling him to remove it. Begging for him to take it off. But he refused. He could do this.

He had to do this.

Raising his right gloved arm, Bruce took a deep breath, in and out so gently. He bent his ring finger and thumb towards each other, placing the tips against the other. All it took was one slight movement and then...

Snap.

Once they had returned to the facility, nebula had swiftly made her exit from the strangers around her. She supposed they were the people the traitor was on a team with. Once the rest of them had discovered one of their own had died, she took the opportunity to leave and separated from them, giving them a reason to believe she was mourning. She didn't know if the older version of herself had known this man properly, but even if she did or didn't, her absence would be assumed as a sign of mourning.

But unbeknownst to them, she wasn't their nebula. The blue cyborg avoided the teammates as best she could whilst they gathered out near the lake and also when they built the gauntlet. She kept an eye on them to make sure they wouldn't follow or suspect her as she made her way to the quantum time machine.

Before she had jumped, she had taken the particles and suit off her doppelganger and gave them to her father. With the help of his minions, he managed to create more of the particles so he could use them to come to the future. Now all she had to do was activate the machine, allowing Thanos to arrive in 2023.

Once she knew they were all occupied with the green monster and the gauntlet, nebula made her way fro the hangar, retracing her steps to find the room.

Walking over to the machinery that filled half the space, nebula got up close to the control panel, she was unsure of which button to press at first, but she was smart, this is what she had been trained for years for. But in the end, it wasn't that hard to figure out. To her right was a big red button. She couldn't help but sigh and roll her eyes.

Terrans are unbelievable, she thought.

Just as she hit the button, nebula felt a surge of power pass through her body. And travel through the rest of the building.

The green monster.

He did it.

But it didn't matter, because after a few seconds of activating the machine, the sanctuary II was transported into their air space. The massive, dark ship hovering above the building.

Thanos was here.

Once Bruce had clicked his fingers, the power was too much for him that he almost passed out at the energy surging through his arm and body. Each of his friends ran over instantly as he fell, disregarding their shields, rocket, rhodey, and Tony worked to take the glove of his now damaged and charred arm. it looked smaller than the other, the power had obviously taken its toll, so Natasha and Thor tried to keep him awake. But Scott walked towards the window instead, his attention taken by something outside.

As lang got closer to the glass, he noticed it looked slightly brighter outside, as if the clouds had gone away to let the sunshine through at the act Bruce had done. Then he heard something. chirping.

Scott had been at this exact window before Bruce had snapped. Before they even asked for Tony's help. When he first arrived a few days ago. But there had been no birds there before.

And here, right in front of him, there were two birds chirping away as if nothing had happened.

Scotts face lite up in realisation, a huge smile gracing his face.

"Guys we did it."

The rest of his team turn to look at him as he shouted out. All in slight disbelief.

Then a buzz started to ring out.

It was a phone, turning her head Natasha looked in the other direction of Scott towards the sound of the vibrations. Leaving thro to help Bruce. Step by step she walked over to look at it. Picking up the small object and Holding it in her hand she turned it over in her fingers to see the caller ID.

Laura.

Natashas breath caught in her throat as she looked at the picture and read the name that was saved in Clint's phone. He still had her saved after all these years, there was even a little heart next to her name.

Since Scott and Natasha were occupied on opposite sides of the room, The rest of the boys carried on to help Bruce with his arm and also had slight celebrations behind her, but Natasha could only focus on the phone.

It rang out a few more times before Natasha could answer. Swiping her finger along with the touch screen button, the mother answered the phone, slowly bringing it up to her ear.

Natasha held her breath. It couldn't be anyone else calling this phone. It was Clint's phone, and it was lauras number. It was Laura. She was calling him, Scott was right. They brought everyone back. She could just about hear the sound of lauras voice worry down the phone a voice she hadn't heard for years, but before she could respond, the compound trembled with the force of a hit.

And then everything went black. 


	11. Avengers Assemble

so here's chapter 11! we're getting close to the end now, I thought I'd update early this time and I'll also be updating again in about 2 days just so we can finally get the reunion already! I know it been a long fanfic and a lot of waiting but this was a slow burn and I've enjoyed practically rewriting endgame. enjoy guys!

With a beam of blue light streaming down to the destroyed, damaged ground beneath the sanctuary II. materialising in full armour with his double-bladed sword in hand was Thanos.

The building he had ordered to be bombed was now destroyed, blown to pieces. the building he assumed contained the teammates of his future daughter, the team that was trying to undo what he had done in the future. And now he stood in the middle of it.

Slamming his blade into the ground to keep it upright, Thanos removed his helmet, and bent his legs ready to sit on a large piece of rubble behind him, leaning forwards lightly, he lent his forearm against his thigh, watching as his daughter approached him from the piles of broken building around them.

"Daughter"

"Father" nebulas face never faltered. She had done what he asked, he couldn't possibly punish her for this. She had brought him to the future.

"so this is the future? well done" looking around at the damaged he had caused, he nodded st the satisfaction that he had blown up the building that contained his enemies.

"thank you, they suspected nothing"

"the arrogant never do. go, find the stones. bring them to me" he waved his hand to the direction of the destruction. nodding immediately at his request, she spun on her feet to leave but stopped to face her father once again.

"what will you do" sighing at her question, he takes a minute to think. Getting as comfy as he can on the rock he's sat on, he sits back slightly and giver her an answer to end her curiosity.

"wait"

Nodding yet again at her father, she takes off in the opposite direction, heading towards the tunnels, were after the destruction of the facility she knew the gauntlet would be laying somewhere. Ready for her to collect to take to her father.

Gamora stood by the opening of her father's ship, watching in dismay at the sight of the huge building being destroyed. Knowing that there were people inside. It's not like he hadn't done things like this before. He slaughtered half her people, destroyed planets. But the fact that the people inside were the ones trying to kill her father made her sigh in regret. She didn't know how long she could keep up with the facade of going along with the purple titan's plans. But now she may have the chance to break free and stop him. Once and for all.

Closing the hatch, the green woman carefully walks over to the blue one, who was sat with her knees to her chest. Gamora could see the hurt on her face, the worry for the people inside that building. Her sister had changed in the future, it was clear as day but hard to understand considering her sister from 2014 was loyal to Thanos and longed for his approval. Opening her mouth gamora spoke.

"Tell me something. in the future, what happens to you and me " gamora knew she had to ask, if there was any chance they could stop their father, this nebula would be the one to stand by her side. Sister and sister. But still struggling with the concept of nebula changing in the future, gamora had to make sure.

The question makes nebulas head looks up. Not expecting her sister to ask those words, but she would be honest with her.

"I try to kill you, several times. but eventually, we become friends. we become sisters"

Gamora had never seen her sister like this before, never. The way she kept her holding her breath and pausing, her eyes wet as she looked upon the building on the ground. She knew this nebula was telling the truth. Those people were people that nebula actually cared about, her friends. Gamora nebula was never friendly, emotional or close with anyone. Even their own father would never praise her. Walking closer to her sat sister, gamora holds out her hand, a peace offering.

"We need to stop him"

Nebula gives the woman a slight smile. Even when she was pretending to follow their father, she was the same sister nebula had lost 5 years ago. It still hurt, because she wasn't taken by the snap, but by their own father. She couldn't be returned to them either, not like half the universe. Gamora was forever lost to the soul stone and vormir.

Nebula takes Gamora's hand in her own and lets her sister pull her to her feet. Ready to do what they can to stop their father.

Both recovering quicker than their teammates, assuming they were even still alive. Tony and Thor stood at the edge of the broken building, watching as Thanos was just sat and waited in the middle of the dust, rubble and rock. He was just sat there. Suited in gold armour.

Once they are both stood side by side, thors powers start to crackle. The fury running through him at the sight of the bastard that took his friends and family from him. Raising both his arms, his lightning consumes him, one by one his armour piecing together over his body, and both Stormbreaker and Mjolnir both flying into each of his hands. His eyes are white from the power flowing through him.

"let's kill him properly this time," he told stark. One more fight. One last fight with evil and he would be gone for good.

Walking their way down the slope of dirt, the god of thunder and rain man got closer to the titan, but instead of reacting to their presence violently, he stayed where he was on the rock and took a deep breath.

"You could not live with your won failure, where did that bring you? right back to me. I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive but you've shown me that's impossible as long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those who are unable to accept what can be. they will resist"

"yep were all kinds of stubborn" rolling his eyes at Thanos's dramatics, tony snarked back with his sarcasm.

"I'm thankful because now I know what I must do. I will shred this universe down to its last atom and then with the stones, you have collected for me, create a new one. teaming with life that knows not what it had lost but only what it has been given. a grateful universe"

"born out of blood" tony and thors blood started to boil with anger.

"they'll never know it because you won't be alive to tell them." at Thanos's words, thor let out a roar, charging his way towards the giant man. Thanos quickly pulled his blade from the ground, ready to protect himself and attack. The iron suited man also shut his faceplate quick and readied himself and Friday for the attack, quickly deploying his weapons.

Once Thanos and thor met in the middle, thor raised both the hammer and axe, attempting to bring them down on the titan but was blocked by his double-bladed sword, both the hammer and axe being thwarted by it. But Thanos soon took charge and backhanded thors body sending him flying backwards. But he was soon up again with a call from Tony.

After thor was sent flying, tony deployed a new feature to his suit, the back unfurled creating energy points. With the sight of Thanos getting ready to attack him too, tony quickly called out to thor to 'give him some power' thor soon realised what Tony wanted him to do. Holding his hammer and axe in the air thor summoned lightning to engulf him, the electricity running through his weapons. Bringing them down and slamming them together to create a bang, the power doubled up and shot its way across to tony. The suit soaked up the electricity, charging up Tony's repulsors which he aimed at Thanos, who as stumbling backwards at the hit. Not expecting it to be so strong.

But Thanos fought his way through the beams of light. He ran at tony but he was too fast to block or fly away. Thanos's giant hand grabbed him by the torso and his other hand grabbing at his legs. The purple monster pulled, either way, trying to rip tony in half but was suddenly stopped by sight of an object being flown his way.

Thor had thrown his hammer in the air and battered it like a ball at Thanos, but Thanos was quicker. Hre immediately dodged Mjolnir but in the process, he moved Tony's body in front of him to defend himself, ultimately knocking tony out and leaving him unconscious and rolled over of the ground near some broken rock. Mjolnir also left standing upright on the dirt in the same direction.

Thor watched as one of his oldest friends was thrown away to the ground, hearing the slight sound of the AI in the suit calling for tony. Taking another chance to fight Thanos, thor lifted Stormbreaker and tried to slam it into the titan's chest, but he was blocked by his sword, bringing them to a crossguard, both pushing each others weapon away from them as hard as they could.

But Thanos overpowered him, grabbing the blonde man by the throat, the large purple hand was just one squeeze away from breaking the god's neck, but instead, Thanos throws him against part of a wall from the avengers HQ, that was still standing, effectively knocking the wind out of his lungs. But before thor could have a chance to take a breath or gain strength, Thanos is above him. Punch after punch after kick after kick is delivered to the god. He somehow finds the strength to lift his arm, Stormbreaker swiftly bringing itself to the man but before thor can use it, Thanos has grabbed it too.

Pushing the axe downwards, Thanos's power to too much for the god to push away. The blade of the axe slowly slices through his Asgardian armour, inching closer and closer to his skin, once feeling the metal touch his skin, thor screams out in pain. He can feel the slight trickle of blood start to roll down the sides of the chest. But his screaming does nothing. Tony was still unconscious and their teammates were either dead or knocked out. There was no one to help him.

Suddenly, behind the struggle between the god and titan, Mjolnir started to stir. Moving slightly side to side. Neither noticed the silver weapon. Then as quick as a bullet, the hammer flew past both men, grazing against thor and hitting Thanos in the side of the face. Both men have stopped in their tracks. Whipping their head in the direction the object flew, Thanos stared in annoying and anger. Whilst thor smiled.

Stood only a few feet away from the god was a man he had not seen in 5 years. Holding Mjolnir and his classic shield in each hand.

Steve.

Standing with one foot forward, his shield on his left arm and holding Mjolnir in the other steve glared at the titan with determination. The orange sparking circle behind him started to fizzle out, the spell that had been cast to conjure it was fading. Before the circle disappeared thor could just about see the familiar grass, trees and skyline of Wakanda. Everyone was back. Doctor strange was back! That's the reason steve was brought here.

thor practically had tears in his eyes looking at the man he once considered a brother. He was actually here and ready to fight alongside his friends. But it wasn't just the shock of having steve back that made thor happy, steve was also holding his former weapon.

"I knew it"

But before thor could do anything to help or even move, Thanos turned back to his body against the rubble and kicked him into the ground, effectively knocking him out. Leaving just Thanos and steve against each other.

The super soldier's Blue eyes focus on the purple monster in front of him, ready to win this fight. Swinging the hammer by the loop on the bottom of the handle, steve spun it as fast as he could like he had seen thor do for years when they used to run missions back at the tower and rant towards Thanos who in turn was running back with just as much speed, as steve got closer he took a leap from a rock on the ground, jumped up and slammed the hammer upwards into Thanos's chin, knocking Thanos's head back and throwing him across the dirt.

Throwing the shield like he used to do, steve frisbeed it right into his face, seconds later both the hammer and shield find their way back to him as he continues to hit Thanos with as many blows and hits as he can using his hands, the hammer and the shield.

Now standing a few feet away from Thanos as the purple titan tries to recover from the blows, steve reached his hand into the sky holding the hammer and lightning started to form, flowing through him and his Asgardian weapon. Dragging his arm back down, steve aimed the hammer at Thanos, the lightning now being thrown in the direction of the mass murderer.

Running at Thanos to send more lightning his way, the purple god stops him by grabbing at his chest and throwing him against the ground.

Taking his sword from the dirt, Thanos swings it above his head and down in front of him where the super soldier was standing, jumping to his left as quick as he could steve dodged the first swing, but Thanos pulled it back and swung forward instead, slicing the side of steves leg, making him call out in pain.

The blonde tries to use the hammer again and he tries to bring it to Thanos's face but Thanos stops him, walking the hammer out of his hand, making him toss it in the opposite direction.

The force of Thanos makes steve fall over, and he barely has time to defend himself with his shield before Thanos is aiming it at him again, one swing and Its cut halfway down the Vibranium, almost reaching his arm that was attached to the back.

Steve tries with all his strength to hold Thanos back but Thanos swings again, making steve fall to his knees. Swinging over and over in rage, Thanos keep hitting the shied with his blade, taking off chunks of the metal as steve tried to protect himself.

With one final hit, Thanos send steve backwards. Half the shield cut off from the attack. He kneels on all fours on the ground, taking deep breaths, barely being able to push himself up. But he has to keep fighting.

It was just minutes ago for steve that he had last seen Thanos in Wakanda, and then he suddenly woke up there again, the friends he had seen turn to dust also with him. He knew instantly that his team had managed to fix what Thanos did. But it wasn't until a wizard called wong had opened a portal for him that he was told it had been five years. He didn't have time to send the rest of his friends from Wakanda yet, only being able to send the captain. And now here he was, 5 years in the future, fighting the villain they lost against once. But now he knew everyone was back, steve fought even harder to kill Thanos. Steve fought for his friends that had died the day of the snap. Steve fought for his friends that had returned along with him. He fought for Natasha, the woman he loved and the woman he missed 5 years worth of her life without him. The love of his life.

Watching the small man in front of him struggle to stand, Thanos, speaks.

"In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter, it was never personal. But I'll tell you now, what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet... I'm gonna enjoy it. Very, very much."

Using the last of his strength to push himself up on his feet, steve rose back up, standing in his defensive position, hands ready in fists, ready to take Thanos on, even though his leg was injured and Thanos could probably kill him right now with just one punch. But he wasn't backing down. He didn't back in the '40s, he didn't back down when he fought aliens in new york, and he's not backing down now.

"I can do this all day."

Thanos just smirked at the super-soldier, almost impressed with his determination. This tiny pathetic human was more than ready to carry on their fight. He would be ready to die for his team, for his planet, for the universe. And Thanos was more than happy to give him that fight. It wasn't like he was going to win anyway.

Raising his arm outwards to steve, and blue beams start to shine down from the ship above them, deploying the entirety of Thanos's army to the ground. All of them waiting for orders.

Some he recognised, the black order that he had fought just minutes before in Wakanda. The Chitauri. Other minions and creatures.

Thousands of Thanos's soldiers stand against one man. Rubble and dirt and rock create a battlefield ready to be fought on, that same battlefield the only thing separating him against them.

As steve looks upon the army in front of him, he lets out a deep breath. Thinking about everything that had been leading to this point. Suddenly he hears a crackle in his earpiece. It's a voice.

"cap can you hear me? Cap? on your left."

It's Sam. Once they had returned after the second snap, he had seen his friends come back along with him but he was approached by wong almost instantly who told him he was needed so he didn't have time to speak to anyone before he was in new york again.

turning around, he sees a portal open, the orange sparks lighting up in his eyes. the first one is from Wakanda again, T'challa, Okoye and Shuri start to walk towards him, once they step through the portal, T'challa told steve that he wasn't going to let him fight Thanos alone. With a quick nod to the king, there's a sudden figure flying above his head. Sam glides through the portal as it continues to get bigger, allowing more warriors and his friends to come through.

The from the left and right side of the portal more started to open up, dozens of them. And steve guessed they were from nearly every corner of the universe. Once the Wakanda tribes came through, he saw a portal from another world, walking through came that kid he fought in Germany. Spiderman. But he was also with a few quicky characters. He swore someone had antennas. It wouldn't be the most bizarre thing he had seen. Then through another more wizards started to pour out, all ready to cast their spells to fight and protect. Asgardians came through another, warriors dressed in their armour and a pegasus?

Stood at the front line of their newly formed army stood Captain America, Black Panther and Shuri. Falcon and the Winter Soldier, two of his best friends in the world. Drax, Mantis, Star-Lord who steve guessed where the members of the guardians that the racoon and tree had been friends with. Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Groot, Scarlet Witch, the Wasp, Pepper Potts who was donning a newly created iron armour tony had probably made her, Okoye, M'Baku, stood side by side with their army behind them.

Finally getting up from his blow from Thanos, Thor summons his axe and stands next to steve, his lost friend and tony finally wake up after being knocked out by the hammer, when he first sees steve for the first time in 7 years, he's overwhelmed. To be quite honest, it was 7 years too late. They both regretted what happed in Germany and wished they could move past it. Tony, of course, had to live 5 years without the other man and had longed to make amends, he tried his best with Natasha when they have reunited again all those years ago, and he tried his hardest to be the best uncle he could to their child. God, his nephew's father was stood right beside him again and he didn't even know he was a father. But soon he would know. He would know about his son, about James. Just one more fight, the biggest fight, biggest battle, biggest war in history and they could go back home. They would be friends again. He'd have a family. One more fight and everything would be okay. joining his old friend in the same stance, tony stands with steve and thor, all three of them side by side. Ready to fight off Thanos and his army.

"is that everyone?" strange asked his fellow wizard wong, appearing next to him after opening portals for their army.

"what you wanted more?" ready to fight, wong had already had a spell ready when Stephen had asked him the question.

Then suddenly, disrupting their exchange the ground started to shake and to their left were a large pile of rubble and rock from the recently destroyed compound bursts open, with a giant Scott suited up, holding rhodey bruce and rocket, leaning down slightly, the giant man unfolds his hand letting the three avengers jump off and join the rest of their army, ready to fight.

The next few seconds are surreal. Everybody they have ever known is stood alongside them.

People they had fought alongside and were friends with ready to fight.

Steve couldn't help but notice the lack of one person around them. Natasha. The compound had been blown to pieces, she could have been anywhere, maybe she was standing near the back of their army. He thought. He wanted nothing more than to see her but first. He needed to rid the world of the monster in front of him. Summoning the hammer one more time, steve caught it in his hand, his left hand still carrying the half of his shield.

"Avengers" shouting as loud as he could, he called out to his army. Ready to say the words he had never been able to use properly before, but now with everyone they knew here. It felt right that this moment would be the first.

"Assemble" 


	12. Her Soldier

We're almost there guys! Now that I've finished it I kinda wanna upload it all at once but we've gotta be patient ❤❤ hope you enjoy! let me know your thoughts!

The tunnels were dark. There was barely any light to allow Natasha to see as she ran down the halls, but thankfully her flashlight managed to light the way as she ran from the disgusting creatures called the Chitauri. The same ones she had fought over a decade ago in new york with her newly formed team. Just herself, thor, tony, bruce Clint and steve. There were tons of them chasing her, she could just about outrun them before she found an opening to the level above and the further levels above that.

She knew the opening would allow her to get to the ground outside once she reached the top. Throwing her spare grappling hook up, she managed to get it to hook onto something, allowing her to automatically pull herself upwards. She had replaced it once she had resulted to prepare for the blowback after the second snap, just in case. At the time she didn't even realise she was replacing it, Vormir had still been fresh, her old hook swiped and used by Clint to keep her from falling off that goddamn cliff. But she had replaced it, there wasn't any reason she had too, she didn't expect for this to happen, maybe it was just an automatic response to losing her equipment, she'd done it for years, loosing and using things that needed replacing. But now she was glad she had replaced it because if she hadn't, she'd probably be Chitauri food right now.

The Chitauri tried to follow her by climbing up the walls, their claws digging in to the metal walls and curling around handrails allowing them leverage to grip against, but before they could reach her she pulled out her gun from her thigh holster, making sure to keep the gauntlet secure under her other arm, and shot at them as she spun around the cord, some were killed by the bullets and some weren't, but thankfully she had her widow bites and miniature explosive arrowheads that she had spare for client, in her utility belt. Throwing them at the creatures, they started to set off as she rode up to the cord, killing the remaining Chitauri without hurting herself, allowing her a clean getaway.

Finally reaching the top level, Natasha unattached herself from the cord and collapsed onto the floor, letting out a huff of a laugh and a huge breath she clutches at the metal glove to her chest when She can hear a sound to her right, like footsteps. suddenly she jerks her eyes open. But Natasha just sees her friend nebula walking towards her.

Letting out a sigh in relief at the sight of her friend, Natasha speaks to the woman that her son considers an aunt.

"Boy am I glad to see you neb" the redhead shoots her arms upwards, holding out the gauntlet for nebula to take, which the blue cyborg gladly does. To be honest, nebula though it might have been harder to take the gauntlet but it seemed this woman was more than happy to hand it over. Natasha was glad to finally let someone else take the responsibility for the most powerful thing in the universe but soon she would come to regret it.

Closing her eyes once more, Natasha lets herself catch her breath and relax, flopping her arms down to her sides.

"Father I have the stones"

Shooting her eyes open, and sitting up Natasha is confused at first, it isn't until she looks at nebula again with confusion, that she realises she is missing her golden faceplate. now Its silver, like it was the first time they had met. This wasn't her nebula. Then it clicked. Once they had got back from the quantum tunnel and from getting the stones, she had wandered off on her own, no one had seen her when bruce had snapped. Natasha thought maybe it was because they had lost a team member and she wanted to let them mourn. But it was too much coincidence. Nebula goes missing and then the compound blows up?

"what?"

Before Natasha can react to her suspicion, 'nebula' pulls out a gun, aiming it at her head. The spy could see the blue finger inching closer to the trigger, ready to pull it on the woman on the ground with no hesitation. The only thing that stops her from shooting is a voice calling her name, it isn't one that's familiar with Natasha, but nebula instantly knows who it is.

Shifting her eyes to see this new voice, Natasha sees green skin and red hair. Then it clicks, nebula and rocket had shown her a picture once of nebulas sister. Gamora. It was her, and she was holding out a gun, aiming at her sister.

Nebula follows the braided redheads gaze to see her sister.

"Stop" For a second, one small second, nebula actually thinks about it. But she shakes her head. The gun on Natasha still ready to fire.

"I can't." tightening her grip on the gun nebula moves to fire but is stopped once more. But not by her sister, but by her older self.

"Stop!"

"You're betraying us." its all the younger nebula can think about, gamora had been loyal to their father and so had she. She just wanted the same appreciation that her sister received and if helping his cause would do that then so be it. Her sister had always been his favourite. She just wanted to be loved. Was that too much to ask?

"You don't have to do this." it's her older self that speaks up this time. Future nebula knew she could change, she was the past nebula at one point, and in that timeline, she was a few months of joining her sister anyway. But maybe this, the change in her timeline was too much.

"I am - this."

"No, you're not." Gamora's heart almost breaks at her sister's thoughts, nebula didn't believe she could do good, that she could change. All she needed was a push, a little help.

"See what we'll become." future nebula begs her past self.

"Nebula, listen to her." gamora tells her sister, she wants to believe she will change sides but she can't take that risk just in case. Gamora is still holding the gun at her sister, and nebula still holding hers at Natasha.

"You can change." future nebula tells her, but her pst selfs eyes darken even further, her voice becoming deeper at the realisation that she would never be allowed too.

"He won't let me"

Suddenly, nebulas gun is moved from Natasha's head and is swung in the direction of her sister, but gamora is too slow to react to the sudden act.

"No!"

Nebula steps closer to pull the trigger but before she can a bang goes off, and then there's a hold in her chest. Right in her heart. Natasha and gamora stare in shock at the injured cyborg as she quickly falls to the ground, dead.

Both woman looking up, they see that it was the real nebula, the future one that had shot the past version of herself.

as Natasha sat and watched the strained look on her friends face, her nebula crouched down to be at her level and carefully checked she was okay.

"Nat are you okay? Is James safe?"

"I'm fine neb, and James is at tony and peppers don't worry. Thank you." cannula nodded at her friend, not needing her to thank her. She would do anything to protect the ones she considered family. Swivelling on her feet, she leaned over to pick the gauntlet from the dead cyborg's arms and passed it to the redhead.

"Natasha, you need to get the stones to our friends."

"be safe." Natasha nodded quickly and opened her mouth.

"I will, you be safe too got it?" giving the cyborg a quick hug, Natasha turns to look at the green woman who had a look of disbelief and surprise at her sister.

"Pleasure to meet you gamora, your sister told me all about you, id loves to stay and chat but you know."

Gamora agreed with the redheaded woman, and let her get back to business, they both watched as Natasha left the level and made it up to the surface. Gamora just couldn't believe she had actually seen her sister hug another being willingly and had worried about another called James? Her sister really had made friends and even thought of them as a family in the future.

A violent battle immediately begins between the Avengers, their allies and Thanos' army.

Both sides collide with each other on the ground and in the air, as a giant Ant-Man punches a Leviathan to the ground, the same type of leviathan the original avengers had fought in new york in 2012. Tony and pepper were fighting side by side in the sky, repulsor beams aiming at different enemies as they fly back to back. Down on the ground below the wife and husband were steve and thor fighting off the chitauri that were trying to rip them apart, at one point they ended up with each others weapons, thor holding his classic weapon and steve with Stormbreaker.

"No, no, you have the little one."

Steve playfully rolled his eyes at the god as they swapped weapons once more so thor could have the bigger one and so they could continue to fight the ravenous creatures charging towards them.

Suddenly in the sky, tony is ambushed by Cull Obsidian, the giant being knocking him with his weapon but swinging past to catch him was peter. The teenager then shot his webs at the monster and pulled using his strength, making Obsidion trip on his feet and fall to the ground but before the giant could get up and fight back, Scott lang in his giant form conveniently stepped on him, instantly crushing and killing him.

After watching the giant being crushed, peter instantly ran over to his mentor to check if he was okay. Tony was speechless, the kid was here. Peter was stood right in front of him after all this time, the same kid babbling on without breathing like he used to do. This kid, peter, was the reason they brought everyone back. If he hadn't of seen peters picture a few days ago, he doubts he would have made the quantum tunnel time machine.

"Hey! Holy cow! You will not believe what's been going on. Do you remember when we were in space? And I got all dusty? And I must've passed out because I woke up and you were gone. But Doctor Strange was there right. And he said 'It's been five years. Come on, they need us.' And he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does. Anyway…"

All tony can do is walk towards the teenager and pull him into a hug, a content smile on his face as he embraced peter. This hug came 5 years too late. Peter was hesitant at first, he didn't actually realise what tony was doing until he was hugging him, but as soon as he realised he returned the hug with a smile.

"This is nice."

On a separate part of the battlefield, peter quill is trying to fight off the chitauri that are now beginning to outnumber him, he doesn't have enough hands or guns to fight them all off, but suddenly another blaster from behind kills the oncoming chitauri about to attack him.

Turning around to see his saviour, peters eyes land upon a green woman with dark red hair. Gamora. But he thought she died? Mantis had told him Thanos had been in grief when hey tried to stop him on titan. But here she was standing in front of him, his girlfriend. The woman he loved. His eyes widened in disbelief as he walked closer to her.

"Gamora? I thought I lost you." Peter continues to get closer until the point he's inches away from her body and raises his arms to grab her face to pull her in for a kiss but before he can touch her, gamora lifts her knee straight into his groin, making him scream from the pain and collapse on the floor.

"This is the one? Really?" As she watches the human struggle on the floor, she raises one eyebrow in disgust and turns back round to her sister, the 2023 nebula who was stood behind her and questioned her. Nebula just shrugged her shoulders at gamora.

"It was either him or the tree."

Running onto the battlefield, the redhead's eyes land on the countless soldiers and warriors fighting against their enemies. Looks like she missed a lot down in the tunnels. But the biggest thing that stood out to her was that every one of her friends was fighting. Not just her friends form the last 5 years, the ones she had made a team with but her friends she had lost all those years ago too. In the distance she can see red balls of energy, instantly recognising them as Wanda's powers. She was back! But it wasn't just Wanda that was back, she could see endless soldiers dressed in Asgardian armour, Thor's lost people. She could see the young boy named peter swinging around dodging fire. She tried to look for more of her friends, but the oncoming hoard of chitauri won't allow her to stand and observe. She starts to run for it. The gauntlet still clutched in her arms.

Dodging as many creatures as she could and killing the ones that came into contact with her, Natasha ran towards the middle of the battleground, trying to find anyone that could help her but everyone is busy trying to defend themselves. Then Natasha remembered she still has her comm in, being too preoccupied with Chitauri and sister drama to notice or use it before. She stops, shielding herself behind some debree of a rock watching the battle commence.

"Tony! Can you hear me? I've got the stones, What do I do with them? Tony?"

"I'm a little busy right now red so ill have to direct your call to the man behind you. Thank you for calling."

The redhead's eyebrows knit together at Tony's words. Confusion covered her face. Then turning around on the spot to her left, Natasha braid flips over to the other side of her shoulder. But shes stopped from moving any further by the overwhelming sense of shock she feels when she sees the man stood in front of her.

Looking the exact same he did when she last saw him. His longer darker hair and his beard the exact same. The same look of love on his face whenever he looked at her.

Natashas eyes start to well up at the sight of the super-soldier holding his old shield and Mjolnir in his hands. Her soldier.

Steve. 


	13. I can't believe you're here

Where finally here! It's been weird writing a romanogers fanfic when they're only just reuniting in chapter 13 but I've enjoyed it so far and this chapter just made me love writing them again. I hope you enjoy guys and please let me know what you think!

Taking in a deep breath, she holds it for a few seconds and just stares at him. Her eyes were flickering without blinking, not daring to blink in case he disappeared right in front of her eyes. Soon they start to well up, threatening to fall down her cheeks. He was here. For the first time in 5 years, he's right here. Just a few feet away from her, the man she had been partners with for years, the man she spent two years on the run with, the man she betrayed 117 countries for. The man she still loved after all this time. the father of her child.

"your roots are terrible. No one tell you?"

All Natasha can do is huff out a laugh, its the first time she's seeing him in 5 years and he's making cheesy jokes about her hair. He never changed. Taking a breath after her laugh, she smiles. A smile she only ever saves for James.

Hooking the gauntlet to her belt, she secures it before pushing on her feet to run towards him, to which he does the exact same. Running with the hammer and shield, dropping them just moments before they hug.

Grabbing onto him with all her strength, her arms wrap around him and she buries her face into his neck, her tears spilling from her eyes and running onto his exposed skin. He can feel the tickle of the water as it runs down and squeezes his eyes shut in sadness. He'd been gone for 5 years to her, for him it had only been a few minutes, and now she was crying because she finally had him back. Steve had only ever seen her cry a handful of times and with only a good reason.

They cling onto each other, just revelling in the feeling of the touch of one another. Natasha with her face still buried in his neck, breathes in deep through her nose, trying to remember the way he smells. Like Wakandan dirt and a cheap body spray that if she remembers right, he and sam must have picked up from a convenience store back when they were on the run. Right before the battle of Wakanda.

As he holds onto the woman he loved he runs his hand upwards towards her hair, fingering the braid in his hands. The blonde she had just minutes ago for him was now at the ends of her hair, her natural colour just as long as the blonde making it come down to just a little bit higher than her waist. It really had been 5 years.

"I can't believe you're here." she says to him as she pulls back slightly, feeling his hand still playing with her braid. She looks him in the eyes and stares at him with a look of pure admiration and happiness.

"It really has been 5 years huh?" her smile slightly falters as she sees steves eyes look down in regret, his fingers falling from her hair to her waist. She just slowly nods at him.

"I'm sorry." pulling away further to look at him properly she frowns, Natasha moves her hands up to his face to grab the sides of his face to make him look at her and she strokes her thumb against the curly hair covering the bottom half of his face.

"you've got nothing to be sorry for you idiot." leaning a little closer to him, they both seem to forget their standing in the middle of a battleground and lean forwards to kiss but are interrupted by a large explosion close by making them pull back slightly from the sudden noise.

Watching the fire burn out in the air, steve turns back to Natasha and gives her a guilty smile.

"stones first, kiss later?" giving him a quick smile she agrees with him. As much as they just wanted to embrace themselves in the other, they couldn't. Not right now anyway. They were in the midst of war and their friends had done their best to keep them protected as they reunited. They had to finish this battle.

Shifting her eyes down, she unhooks the iron glove attaches to her belt and holds it out to steve, not knowing what to do with it.

"what do you want me to do with this damn thing?"

"Get those stones as far away as possible"

"No! We need to get them back where they came from." suddenly opping back onto the comm system, bruce spoke up with his suggestion as he continued to fight enemies wherever he was.

"No way to get them back. Thanos destroyed the Quantum Tunnel." then Tony spoke up, thanks to Thanos their time machine had been destroyed, there was no way of getting them back now.

"Hold on. That wasn't our only time machine." then right beside them in the sky, the giant Scott lang quickly shrinks back to his normal size. Pulling out a key from his pocket, he presses the button on the top. Then the blaring noise of a car alarm singing the "La Cucaracha" song started to sound out from deep across the battlefield.

"Anyone see an ugly, brown van out there?" shouted Natasha down her comm, hoping that if she could hear the car horn, them maybe it was still intact out there.

Then from up high, riding a pegasus Valkyrie spotted the van far into the other side of the battle. Deep inside the chaos of where Thanos' army is.

"Yes, but you're not gonna like where it's parked."

"Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?" tony popped up again. They needed to get those stones gone and get them back to where they came from quick, so Thanos wouldn't get his hands on them again.

As he contemplated how long he would need a body enlarging its self popped up next to him. hope!

"Uh, maybe ten minutes." agreeing with Scott's words, he urges them to go.

"Get it started. We'll get the stones to you!"

"We're on it, Cap." Scott smirks at hope once she says 'cap' remembering the time she had made fun of him for saying it. Suddenly they both shrink and make their way to the van, to be honest, they were probably the only ones who could do it, him and hope could fix it up no problem and they were probably the only ones who could actually make it across the battlefield in one piece since no one could actually see them.

Steve turned back to Natasha once the plan for the stones was set, he grabs her by the arms and pulls her closer.

"You need to run, fast. Be careful."

Nodding quickly at steve, Natasha silently promises him she will.

"You stay safe too okay? Don't go dying on me again." she quirks up the corner of her mouth to let him know she was joking, and he just returns the same smile.

"Never."

Moving backwards slowly, Natasha turns to run off to get the stones to the van but she only makes it a few steps before she feels steves hand grab her arm and pull her back, spinning her back around and pulling her back close until they're are chest to chest and he tilts his head down to capture her lips in a kiss.

Pulling away from the first kiss they have shared in 5 years, Natasha can only smile. She wishes it could just be her and him in that moment, with none of this fight going on around them, but that wasn't the case. They had to get the stones back to their timelines now.

Pulling away, she looked him in the eyes before she turned back round to run off in the direction of the van, ready to take the gauntlet and get the stones back where they came from.

During the battle, tony ends up a few feet away from Doctor Strange at one point, both fighting side by side as they did on titan. But tony is quickly getting overwhelmed with the fight. Turning to his ally, tony retracts his faceplate and shouts over to the wizard.

" Hey, you said one out of fourteen million, we'd win, yeah? Tell me this is it."

"If I tell you what happens, it won't happen."

Then deep into their enemies side of the battlefield, Scott and hope grow back to normal size inside the van after flying in through the window. Scott tries to start the van but its bust. If they're going to get the quantum tunnel working he's going to have to hotwire the van. Bending down as far as he can considering there's a steering wheel in the way, he reaches underneath the dash and pulls on some wires, quickly degloving them and touching the bare wires together to get it working.

Watching as his army fights the other side, Thanos stands tall, his eyes scanning over the fight. But then he notices that someone is missing, and a certain something that he had sent her to get.

Shouting over to his closest black order members, Corvus glaive responds quickly.

"Where's Nebula?"

"She's not responding."

Then speaking up from behind, whilst using spells to protect his master, ebony maw points across the battlefield.

"sire!"

Turning to look in the direction his adoptive son had pointed too, he narrows his eyes and sees a glint of gold. Shifting his eyes up he sees a woman red and blonde hair clutching the gauntlet and stones to her chest as she runs through the battlefield. Her teammates clearing a path for her to get into there side.

Immediately ordering the outriders to take her down, the creatures start to close in on Natasha as she makes a run for it. She instantly notices the sudden group starting to run at her and tries her best to run and fight them off. Thankfully just as one got a little too close, T'Challa came running in and kept her close as he activated his kinetic energy pulse. Blowing back all outriders trying to kill her. Turning quick to Natasha, he tells her to give him the gauntlet. They only have a few seconds to pass the gauntlet over before the knocked down creatures are getting back up and chasing them again, but know their focus is on the black panther.

Running as fast as he can, T'Challa fights his way through the outriders trying to get the gauntlet to the van that Scott and hope were trying to fix.

Thanos stood in the distance watching the exchange between the woman and panther happen. Since his outriders couldn't get the gauntlet or even take down the people that had it. Then he'll do it himself.

Marching through the crowds of minions towards the black-suited man, he's suddenly stopped by a red light purging around him and wrapping itself around his arms making him unable to move.

Thanos tried to pull against the force keeping him still but he's not strong enough to break it. Then, walking up a slope to reach the titan is a woman with orange hair and a red jacket. Her eyes shining with the same light she had taken control of him with and also with anger.

"You took everything from me." this made Thanos sneer at her with confusion.

"I don't even know who you are."

Clenching her jaw, her eyes glow brighter with rage.

"You will."

Then using her powers, she pulls on her energy cords wrapped around Thanos's arms and wraps two more round his legs and neck. Lifting him up high into the air she pulls using her hands and moves them away from each other, her powers mimicking the same pull movement.

Thanos lets out a roar as he feels the strength of her powers pull on his limbs, but wanda doesn't hold off one bit. determined to avenge her lover's death and everything she lost because of him. Not only did he take Vision from her but the moment she returned she could feel the loss of someone she cared out. The man who was like an older brother or father to her. The man her brother sacrificed his life for.

Still fighting his way through different Chitauri and Outrider soldiers, T'Challa jumps and dodges their blows whilst also soaking up the kinetic energy, using to fuel his suit so he can distribute the energy back out to knock them out of his way. But suddenly he's knocked from running by one of the outriders making him lose his grip on the nanotech gauntlet carrying the stones. Getting back up onto his feet, T'Challa runs back towards the metal glove lying on the ground. But as he runs it starts to rise up with the ground. A pillar of dirt and rock-forming to keep it away from the panther.

But it doesn't stop the king from leaping high up to grab it. But as he does the pillar keep moving towards a figure standing on a ledge that looked like… Voldemort?  
But before the figure can pull him closer with his powers, a shiny armour makes it way over to him with legs sticking out the back of his suit. It's spiderman.

Peter swings past the creatures that are fighting down below on the ground and glides over the top of black panther, who throws the gauntlet up in the air for him to catch.

Once he has a hold on the nano gauntlet, peter lands back on the ground, his iron spider legs stopping him from hitting the ground hard and actually helping him roll to land safely. But as soon as he lands the outsiders gang up on him too quickly that there's no way for him to fight them all of in time to escape. Then he thinks. Karen!

"Karen, activate instant kill mode!"

"Yes peter"

Switching on the controls for instant kill, Karen quickly closes in on all targets that are running towards peter and attacks them all using the suit to fire weapons at them and also stabbing and throwing the attackers to keep them from hurting peter.

Thanos is still roaring out at the force of the woman in front of him trying to rip him apart, she's too powerful for him to break free. If he can't break free then there is no chance anyone could help him or take her down. Making a quick decision, he decides its the only thing that would get her to let go of her power.

"Ready fire!"

"But sire, our troops will suffer the bombardment." Corvus Glaive warns him. If they fire onto the battlefield they will kill not only their enemies but their own warriors.

"Just do it"

Complying with his master, Corvus calls a rain of missiles to fall on the battlefield. Hsi ship stats to power up the cannons, charging to fire at the ground once more.

Then as the cannons begin to fire, the missiles rain down in different spots, blowing up warriours and fighters from both sides, but to protect them and as many of their team as possible, the masters of the mystic arts start to summon Tao mandalas to protect their army from the attack.

Meanwhile near the lake that had been somehow avoided this entire time, a missile hits and breaks the damn that had been keeping it from flooding their battleground. Reacting quickly, Doctor Strange uses his powers to protect them all from drowning of seawater.

Once again, Peter finds himself being outnumbered by the outsiders, but luckily Captain America was close by to see the boy being ganged upon. Throwing Mjolnir towards him, he shouts for the kid's attention, who immediately sees the hammer and grabs onto it which instantly pulls peter from his spot and flies him across the battlefield. Then he feels someone grab his arm and flying him upwards until he's put on the back of a flying horse. It was pepper! Shes pulled him from the hammer. And now he was riding on the back of a pegasus with a woman who didn't recognise.

"Hey nice to meet Oh MY GOD" he kind of knew it wasn't the right time to introduce himself but he couldn't help it. But before he could actually say his name, one of the missiles struck down right in front of them and the pegasus was forced to dodge it, following valkyries order to help get peter closer to the van.

It seems like the missiles will never stop as each avenger is knocked down by the ground shaking from the impacts.

Rocket instantly threw himself over Groot, trying to protect the tree with his own body.

Peter was knocked off the pegasus sending him straight to the ground along with the gauntlet. The dust from the ground swallowing him.

Even bruce was thrown off making him fall to the ground.

But then the ground stops shaking.

As each member of their team starts to stand up, everyone notices that the fire hadn't stopped but was being aimed into the sky instead. Tony could just about see the blue light of the energy beams fly their way through the dust and clouds before it disappeared up high.

"It seems something had entered our upper atmosphere." Friday told tony as he looked up into the darkness with confusion.

Blowing up and flying through the main system of the sanctuary II, the most powerful of them all was Captain Marvel. Carol Danvers. Nothing could stop her as she smashed her way through the unbreakable metal of Thanos's ship. Stopping the airstrike onto the ground and herself.

Thanos can do nothing but look on with bewilderment on his face. The woman with red powers had been distracted by the airstrike along with getting knocked backwards that she no longers had a grip on him.

Once the ship started to fall out of the sky, the captain landed on the ground superhero style, right in front of a young boy huddled near a rock clutching the gauntlet in his arms.

Peter just stared in wonder at the lady as she walked up to him, the light of the explosion she had caused shining behind her.

"H-hi um, I'm peter parker." smiling at the boy carol was amused by his innocent words. She had seen his face before, in some of the pictures she had seen of their missing team members, and by his suit, she guesses he was spiderman but she couldn't recall his name until now. Wow, He really was young.

"Hey, peter parker. You got something for me?"

Shifting his eyes down to his chest he realised he had been clutching onto the gauntlet this entire time. Nodding at the glowing woman, she held a hand out for him to take, pulling him up, peter passed her the gauntlet and she held it to her side.

Once both peter and carol are stood side by side, there's a sudden onslaught of outriders and chitauri approaching them but they won't have to face them alone.

Joining their team of two are Pepper, wanda, Mantis, Okoye, Shuri, Valkyrie, Wasp, Gamora, Natasha and Nebula who all assault Thanos' army of chitauri and outriders to help create a path for Captain Marvel so she can get the gauntlet to the van that Hope and Scott had finally fixed.

Making a beeline towards the van and tunnel, Thanos instantly tried to stop her but as he tried to make a run for her, he's stopped by beams of light aiming at him. As he looks to see what's stopping him he sees 3 women, two flying in the air and one on the ground. Every time he tries to turn they get him at another angle. If he cant stop them, he'll just have to do things differently.

Swinging the sword in his hands he throws it like a spear. Straight towards the van.

The quantum vortex is just about to power up when its hit right in the centre. Slicing through the earth metal they had built it with. Instantly destroying it and exploding outwards a surge of power sending carol reeling back and leaving the gauntlet knocked out of her hands and onto the ground. Leaving it unsecured.

Quickly noticing the gauntlet lying on the ground close by, tony tries to run over to get it straight away but moving in front of it and blocking his path was Thanos.

Forcing him into a fight, Thanos quickly overpowers tony throwing him to the side, and when steve and thor see they both try to take down the titan himself but are also taken down by him.

Then reacting as quick as he could, Thanos lept for the gauntlet that had been left lying on the ground. Picking it up he attempts to put it on and just about gets it on before he is suddenly knocked down by a flying captain marvel that was heading straight into his direction.

As they start with hand to hand combat, Thanos and carol try to fight each other off with carol holding onto his gauntlet covered hand trying to stop him from snapping his fingers, attempting to get her off him he brings his head back and slams it forward, headbutting her.

But once he pulled his head back he noticed that it didn't even affect her and her anger just became more enhanced as she fueled her power even more, overpowering him. But as she pulls on his arm that had the gauntlet attached, he had a new idea. Reaching with his left arm, he grabbed the purple power stone from its slot on the gauntlet and used it to blast her backwards.

As tony watches the fight between his friend and enemy, he glances to the doctor he had lost 5 years ago. Doctor strange.

He doesn't say anything but just gives Stephen a look of desperation.

And all the wizard replies with is one hand in the air, with his fist clenched except for one finger. Trying to signal that this is the one outcome he knew they would win.

Tony can only sigh with acceptance, knowing what he needs to do. What he needs to do for his friends, for his family, for pepper, for peter, for his nephew, for his daughter morgan.

Returning the power stone to its rightful place in the gauntlet, the stone power up once more, the energy coursing through his body ready for him to snap his fingers.

But before he can snap his fingers a weakened iron man once again tries to grapple with him for the glove actually managing to get it off the giant purple hand. but he doesn't have enough power to fight and keep the gauntlet to himself, so Thanos easily brushed the Iron man to the side.

Smugly Thanos puts on the gauntlet one more time. Finally, he stands up proudly, ready to snap his fingers. Taking a deep breath he revels in his success and turns to look at tony who was kneeling on the dirt.

"I am… inevitable."

Lifting his arm, Thanos takes his finger and thumb together and snaps.  
But when he feels no surge of power flow through him his brow furrows. Turning his hand to look st the gauntlet he sees there are no stones where they should be. Each one is gone. Thanos gasped in shock and turned back to look at the small man that he had just fought off. And when he does he's met with the kneeling man holding up his arm, all six stones attached to his nano armour.

But the power that surges through tony is unimaginable. It's eating him up too fast.

Getting back up from Thanos's blow with the stone, carol sees the energy and force of the gauntlet taking over tony. One stone is too much for a human, never mind six. Blasting her way to him, carol flies to tony and grabs his left hand in hers, half of the power that was flowing through tony now flowing through her. She knew she could handle the power but it was still a lot to take for two people.

Close by, peter quill sees the two avengers and instantly recognises what they are trying to. He de-activates him a helmet and shouts down his comm which is connected to other members of their army.

"Everybody get to tony now!"

Hearing the star lord call out to them, the avengers assemble once more alongside tony and carol. Linking hands to make a chain of power is Tony, carol, peter quill, steve, thor, Natasha bruce, Drax, Nebula, Scott, Wanda and every other avenger they knew. The rest of their army defending them from attackers as they all took a bit of the power each.

Between the dozen of them sharing the power, tony looks upon his team with gratefulness and then look at a stunned Thanos.

Taking a deep breath, Tony opens his mouth. Uttering the same words he said almost 15 years ago.

"I am Iron Man"

Snap. 


	14. James

It wasn't even a few seconds before their enemies started to turn to dust right in front of them.

Each one blowing away with the wind until Thanos was the last one left. He looked defeated as he stood watching his army disintegrate and then as he looked down to his arm, where the gauntlet was placed upon it, where the stones should have been, his arm started to turn to dust.

The avengers stood hand in hand as they watched the destruction of their enemies all around them. But as they watched on, they started to let go of each other's hands, not realising they were giving back a bit of that power they had shared to tony.

As each person let go of the chain the power started to consume tony a little bit each time until the power was too much too handle. carol was still holding tony's hand when she felt the energy getting stronger, she looked up and down their link to see people letting go, but if people were letting go it was good for her friend. Shooting her eyes to tony she sees his eyes start to flutter shut, the exhaustion catching up to him.

"Tony!" at the scream of his name, everyone around them starts to look back, just catching a glimpse of the iron man as he collapses to the ground.

Immediately rushing after him carol rips the metal off his suit, leaving a rip in the nanotech and leaving his hand bare. The torn glove now laying on the ground.

Tonys' eyes start to wander as if he is looking for something that isn't there, his pain overtaking him as he leans against a rock.

Peter Parker swings down quickly to his injured mentor, his young brown eyes quickly filling up with tears. He bends down until he's on his knees and leans his hand against tony's shoulder.

"Mr Stark? It's okay Mr stark we've got you. Your gonna be okay. Mr stark?" as the water trickles down his cheeks peter starts to break down, not even believing his own words even though he wants to believe them.

Coming up behind him, Natasha grabs peters shoulders and gently pulls him away from her oldest friend.

"Tony, its gonna be okay, pepper will be here in a minute." the redhead swallows, trying to think of what she should say.

"Thank you, for everything you did, for me, for-for um." Natasha bit her tongue as she was about to mention her son's name. His father was right behind her trying to console the young teenager. This wasn't any way for the father to find out.

A tear falls from steves eyes as he watched the exchange between Natasha and tony. He never even got to apologise or make amends.

Landing on the ground next to them is pepper. She instantly runs to her husband, falling to her knees at the side of him.

"Tony. its gonna be okay, I promise it to be okay, well be okay."

Their team is now gathered around as they witness the last moments of their friend's was probably the only one who managed to affect most of the people around them. He had met the guardians before any of them, and now they were watching as they lose him.

Pepper held Tony's hand as they waited, his arm was charred and damaged, probably beyond repair and his energy was starting to fade out. There was nothing they could except wait.

But then running over as quick as she could, Shuri interrupted the silence.

"Wait! We can help him, I just need to get him back to my lab." hope stated to shine in peppers eyes at the young girl's words. Everyone's eyes lit up. Doctor strange stepped forward-leaning in towards Shuri and tony.

"Your lab? You can help him?

The Wakanda nodded quickly, her eyes straining at the seriousness they portrayed.

"Okay, pepper you and T'Challa grab him."

The next few seconds were a blur, T'Challa and pepper had grabbed tony and made sure he was secure in their arms as they took him through the portal doctor strange had conjured, nebula had also left with them. Her friend, the friend she was stuck in space with for 3 weeks, the first friend she had made was dying. If there was anything she could do to fix it she would.

The rest of the Avengers and their allies just watched with hope as the 5 people left for Wakanda. The country was famous for its advanced technology and medicine. There was a great chance they could save him.

But before pepper had left, she quickly pulled Natasha to her to ask the redhead to go back to her home. Where both of their young children still were. Happy was there to look after them whilst she and Tony had joined the fight but they needed one of their parents right now, pepper new that morgan would be fine with Natasha whilst she stayed with tony. As much as she wanted to see her daughter, she knew morgan was okay. Tony needed her right now and if anything happened and she wasn't there, pepper would never forgive herself.

And then the avengers stood with 6 fewer members as they carried on.

Walking through the portal from the destruction into the clean white lab, T'Challa and pepper pulled Tony's body on top of the medical table. Wakandan doctors and scientists rushed to his aid, quickly administrating sediments and attending to his injuries. Nebulas had watched them sceptically, not trusting them to save her friend, but she had no choice but to let them carry on. And now shes thankful she did.

Shuri soon realised that tony's arm would be irreparable, the tendons and skin damaged beyond repair, even for Wakanda medicine. Their only option would be to remove the arm altogether. Even strange agreed with the assessment, but nebula suggested a different approach. Instead of taking the arm off they could repair it with their technology. She was part cyborg after all. Between herself and Shuri and also the scientists, within a few hours, they had drawn up plans and started to build the pieces they needed to fix tony's arm.

But once they fixed it, it would forever be part technology. Forever a part of tony, just like his reactor used to be.

Even with their advancements, the Shuri and strange both agreed to put tony into a medical coma, just for the next few days until the biological parts accepted the Vibrainuim implants.

Once tony, pepper, nebula Shuri T'Challa and doctor strange had left, the rest of the team started to do what they could to help others that were injured and even clean up some areas of mess. They soon called the emergency services too, firemen showing up to put out flames and explosions that the missiles had caused. Paramedic helping the injured as best they can. Jets and choppers with help and even press were instantly on the scene clearing up the rest of the dust and smoke in the air, revealing the oncoming orange hues of the sunset. Their first sunset with everyone back. And it was beautiful.

After making sure all of her friends were okay, Natasha approached thor, taking him to one side so they could speak with at least some privacy.

"Thor I need to go. James and morgan are still at toys and I'm more than sure happy is worried sick. They need me."

The blonde pulled Natasha in fro a hug, completely understanding what she was implying.

"Its okay Tasha, I understand, were more than capable of taking care of things here now, you should go back to them. And you should take steve with you." his lips curled slightly in the corner, giving her a smile. After they both pull away, Natasha agrees with him about steve and then heads over to the soldier who was talking to one of the firemen.

"Steve, I need to go. Toyn and pepper… they had a baby when you were gone, her names morgan. Shes with happy right now but I need- I need to go to her and look after her until they can get back."

"They had a kid? Wow, Okay don't worry, we'll catch a ride from one of the officers and get them as soon as we can. I'll go ask one now."

"You're coming with me?"

Steve smirks at the redhead and walks closer to her until their inches apart.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight." Natasha's eyes sparkle at his sweet talk. God she missed him, she missed this, their playful banter, his whispers of sweet nothings. She nods, but before he walks off she tells him one more thing.

"There's something else too. But I have to tell you when we get there."

Steves brows furrow for a second in worry but he trusts her enough not to be worried. She simply nods and then walks off to find an officer that will take them to the house.

Sam and Bucky watched a few feet away as the two reunited lovers left in a cop car. Sure they knew they had just been reunited but running off together seemed strange, especially after the battle they had just fought. But upon seeing their confused looks, the large green, now intelligent professor hulk they knew as Bruce explained. He explained everything.

About Tony and peppers daughter, about how Natasha had been pregnant when the snap had happened and that she had been raising her and Steve's son this entire time. Then he explained that's probably where the soldier and spy had been going.

And strangely enough, after everything they had been through during their years of combat, Battles and war, even this battle with a mad Titan and his alien army. Steve and Natasha having a son shocked them the most. But it did leave them feeling saddened as well. Their best friend had missed out on his own son's life for 5 years. Even though there was no way to help or change what happened they knew Steve would feel guilty about not being there.

Once the cop car pulled up on the dirt road along the side of Tony's house, the two avengers thanked the officer and made their way towards the building, but Natasha froze. Steve had carried on walking not noticing until he looked to his left and realised she wasn't there.

Swivelling in the grass, steve turned back to see Natasha stood a few feet away. He didn't hesitate to walk back over to her, grabbing the sides of her arms gently and searching for her eyes. Steve was confused, he had been lately since returning. He'd been gone 5 years and didn't have a clue what had been happening, but Natasha had confused him the most. It was like she was holding back from him. Biting her tongue. But instead of trying to rush her, he waited until her eyes met his and her hands grabbed onto his own, linking them together.

The spy took a deep breath before she spoke. She had thought about how she would tell him, she had hoped that one day she could, and now she was.

"Listen before we go in, I need to tell you something. The same thing as I needed to tell you before." her voice was quiet as she titled her head to speak. The soldier just tightened his grip on her hands, letting her know he was right here for her and he wasn't letting go.

"Okay, is everything okay? What is it?"

This was it. The moment she had dreamed about for 5 years. The moment they should have had back then. Natasha took a deep breath, slowly letting it back out as her eyes started to well up slowly.

"Back when Thanos came, in 2018, after he snapped his fingers and you disappeared. We tried for weeks to find a way to bring you guys back and it wasn't until after we got tony back from space that we finally found Thanos. He was on another planet, living out his retirement, we confronted him about the stones he said he'd destroyed them. I was distraught when we came back. It was the worst day and also one ill never forget because I found something out that saved my life. that night when we got back...I found out I was 2 months pregnant."

Steve listens intently as she explains her story but then His face drops with the eventual realisation of what she was saying to him. She was pregnant? Steve's eyes widened with hope but he was still confused, well more shocked than anything.

"You were pregnant? Wha- why- how is that poss- 2 months? you were pregnant?" Steve stutters his words out, trying to ask too many questions at once but then ultimately asking the one question that mattered.

"Yeah, I was. And he's the best thing that had ever happened to me. And I don't know what I would have done without him." As she spoke the tears that had welled in her eyes started to fall, tickling her cheeks as they came down. It was true what she had told him, if it wasn't for James she had no idea what her life would have turned out like. She had lost Steve, Wanda Sam, half of her life. Ans she feels guilty to admit it, but during that ride home from Thanos's farm back to earth, after they found out the stones had been destroyed, she didn't think she had anything to live for. There was nothing left for her. But then she found out about James.

Steve's eyes mirrored hers, tears making their way down his cheeks. He still couldn't believe it. He had no idea how she managed to lose him and their friends and raise their child and keep going. She was devastated when he had dusted but she did it for their child.

Pulling on Natasha's hands, Steve pulls her closer to him until their foreheads are touching and his neck is leaned down to meet her height.

"Him? It was a boy? Is-is he here?"

"Yeah, he is." Natasha smiled at his reaction with her eyes sparkling and the orange sky making them glow. She was holding onto him so tight that she didn't realise her fingers were practically digging in his skin. She just didn't want to let him go after finally getting him back.

"Oh god, I have a son, we have a son?"

at his sudden shock and frightened face, Natasha just laughed and bit her lip.

"Yeah we do"

"What's his name?"

"James, James Samuel Clinton Rogers" the soldier let out a huff of a laugh at his son's name but also smiled at hearing the name of his oldest friend.

"Really, all three of them?"

Natasha shrugged her shoulders and cocked her head to the side as she grinned at him.

"I couldn't pick, but I knew I had to name him after them, I didn't even consider anything else"

"You know bucky is never gonna let sam forget this? James? Wow." Steve is in awe, he hasn't even met the little boy yet but just hearing his name and what he meant to Natasha was all that he needed for him to know that he loved James with all his heart and being. And having Natasha back at his side again reminded him just how much he loved her too, and learning that she had their child made him love her even more if that was even possible.

Before she can speak he pulls her in once again so he can meet his lips with hers, only sharing their love for a few seconds before they're pulled apart by the sound of a small voice shouting.

"Mommy?!"

Steve's head instantly shoots up to the sound, his blue eyes falling upon a set of green ones.

On the edge of the porch stood a little boy with blonde hair and green eyes. He pushed on his feet and ran as fast as he could towards Natasha.

Upon hearing her name being called, Natasha gave Steve a content smile and span on her feet, matching her little boys run to meet him in the middle of the grass, until she caught him in her arms and spun him around, pressing kisses over his little face as she held him in her arms.

It felt like forever since she had held her baby in her arms. But it was only yesterday she had brought him over for a sleepover with his best friend. Natasha held him extra close, practically squeezing him, not daring to let another moment go by where she didn't remember or appreciate it enough.

She would forever be in debt to Clint. He had given her the chance to be able to hold her child again, to be here for him when she came back. Sacrificing his own chance at holding his children and laura again once everyone came back.

"I'm so happy to see you, baby, did you have a good time with Morgan?" His laughter filled the air as she covers his faces in quick kisses but it quickly died down once his mother asked him about his sleepover with his best friend.

'Yeah, it was great! But uncle Tony and auntie pepper went to fight the bad guy happy told us about so we were scared for a bit but then happy helped us colour!" James's eyes had not once stopped sparkling as he told his mother about his day. The boy adores his mother, Steve could tell. He reminded him of himself as he watched on. Ever since Steve has been born it has just been him and his mom, and he wasn't ashamed to admit he had been a mommy's boy the entire time until the day she died. And now it looked like James was the same.

"I see, well I'm glad you had fun with Morgan baby but you don't have to worry about uncle Tony." Natasha's eyes flicker slightly when she heard that he and Morgan have been sacred when Tony and pepper had gone to fight. But she knew everything would be fine. Shuri was the best and they had Strange and Nebula. Tony would be just fine.

As the young boy looked at his mom he noticed another person stood across the grass. Reaching its golden hour, the sun was shining on the man, making him look more clear for James to see.

"Mommy, who's that?"

Natasha furrows her eyebrows at James's question. And turns to look at her soldier.

In James's little head he thought he knew who it was but he couldn't be sure. he's only 4 and a half and had only ever seen pictures of Steve from years ago when the avengers had still been a team and the solider has been clean-shaven and blonder. The man stood a few feet away had a beard, his hair longer and darker, but he looked familiar.

"You don't know who that is?" His mother asked softly, she was just as confused. She had always told her son about his father. Always. Natasha would tell James story's at night to get him to sleep about her and Steve. Their missions and even when they were off duty. James has loved to hear it, hearing about the brave soldier that his dad was. She had even shown him photos of Steve. From both public files and her own. Pictures from her old phone when they ran missions together, pictures they had when they lived in the tower, she always made sure James knew who his father was, so why didn't he recognise who he is now?

Seeing the confused look on Natasha's face is the only thing that has made him feel better about the little boy not recognising him. He knew she would have told James about him. He knew it for a fact. But something must be missing? Natasha was confused too.

"I think I do but he looks different." Then Natasha smiles sweetly at James finally understanding what he meant. He was so innocent.

"Aah, He looks different huh? Then Why don't go ask him and make sure?"

Natasha leaned over and let James jump back on the ground. He was a bit shy at first but once he looked at the man again he made a move to step forward, his little legs taking him longer to reach Steve.

Watching as James shuffled on the grass to come over to him, Steve bent one knee so he was just a little taller than his son's height and so he could look at him properly. Once James reaches him, his green eyes look up at his. Steve could have gasped, he was the spitting image of him when he was younger. And if Steve's mother would have been alive she would have thought the little boy was her own son. But even though it was like looking in a mirror or seeing a younger version of himself in the flesh. His eyes were all his mothers. Bright green that sparkles in the light of the sunset.

James kept opening and closing his mouth, a little shy to talk.

"You look like my daddy in the pictures my mommy shows me. But you look different because of your hair and beard"

So that's why James didn't recognise him. Smiling at his son who was shuffling on his feet as he spoke, Steve chuckled and played along.

"I do? I guess I'll get rid of my beard and get a haircut then so you always know who I am James."

"so your really my daddy?" James's eyes lit up at the sound of his name. His dad knew his name!

"Yeah, bud I am." But then James's sparkling eyes were replaced with confused ones. He started to bite the inside of his cheek and swayed on his feet. This was his dad! But his mommy had told him that his daddy was gone and uncle Thor told him that he was in Valhalla which was like heaven for heroes like his dad.

Steve's head whipped up to Natasha when James started to curl into himself again when he was confused. The mother quickly walked over and met her son at his height by kneeling on one knee like Steve. She wrapped her arm around his small shoulders, moved the long bits of hair in his eyes to the side and pulled James into her, comforting him as she tried to explain.

"See James, when we went to fight, we brought everyone back, you know from the incident a few years ago? About how lots of people disappeared because of Thanos as I told you?"

James's hair flops up and down as he nods.

"Well when we brought everyone back, we got your daddy back too. This is him, James, I know he looks a little different than the pictures I show you huh?"

"A little bit. But it's okay, I like it" He looks at steve again, reaching his small arm out to touch the hair on his dad's chin. Natasha couldn't help but keep smiling as she watched her son. To be perfectly honest, it was her favourite look on him, god she had missed that beard.

"Me too"

Suddenly James pulls his arm back from Steve and jumps into his arms. Steve was nearly knocked over by the sudden hit of the little body crashing into him. James wrapped his arms around Steve's neck and tightened them together so he was clinging on. And Steve was more than happy to return the hug with just as much power. It felt amazing. Having his son in his arms for the first time and his son accepting him too. He didn't even know he had a son until a few minutes ago but he knew the instant he found out that James would be everything to him. Both James sand Natasha meant the world to him.

"I'm so glad you're back daddy, mommy missed you a lot." Steve huffed out a laugh as he stroked the back off James's hair. Tears running down his cheeks. It was surreal, it really was.

"I'm glad I'm back too bud. And I missed her just as much." Steve looked towards Natasha as he spoke to James, trying to tell both James and her that he had missed her. The soldier unwrapped one arm from around his son and held it out for Natasha to come closer and join the two in a hug, which she gladly does. After Steve has both Natasha and James in his arms, he places a gentle kiss to each of their foreheads. Savouring the moment in his memory forever. His first memory of both Natasha and James, and the three of them together. 


	15. I'm so glad you're back

Its been a couple of days now since the battle of earth. Steve and Natasha have been staying at Tony and Pepper's house for the time being since Natasha and James's home had been destroyed and they had to look after the kids too since Pepper and Tony had still been in Wakanda waiting for Tony to be woken up from his induced coma and to be released from the medical lab.

Natasha had made sure that Morgan was okay and that she also knew both her mom and dad were gonna be okay, but that her dad had been hurt but he was coming home soon. The little girl had practically been stuck to Natasha's side for days, she was obviously worried about her dad and a little scared but having Natasha, Steve and James around made her feel better.

After they had settled into Tony and Pepper's house the day they came back over to look after the kids, Natasha finally had the time and chance to make a call. A call she never wanted to make, before or after the snap.

That night Natasha had sat outside on the porch with the phone in her hands, it wasn't hers since her phone was destroyed, so she had to use Tony and Pepper's. But they didn't have Laura or Clint's numbers saved so the redhead had to punch in the numbers one by one, which made it even harder for Natasha to call.

After 2 rings, Laura picked up. Natasha could barely speak before Laura was saying a thousand sentences at once, trying to ask too many questions. So Natasha interrupted her instead, making laura mute instantly, there was something about Natasha's voice as she spoke. Laura had never heard Natasha like this before. Never. Something was wrong.

But Natasha had internally refused to tell laura over the phone. Not after she and kids had just come back, so instead she asked laura to come to them. Natasha knew it was a lot to ask considering they had just snapped back after 5 years and were, of course, worried where their husband and father was but Natasha refused to tell her about Clint on the phone. Laura recognised the sound of distress in Natasha's voice instantly and had agreed to come to new york as soon as they could, which would be a few days. But as they made their way to new york they still had no clue about Clint.

Between Dr Strange, Shuri and Nebula, the three managed to fix up Tony quite well.

Sure, he'd have a biomechanical advanced arm forever but he was alive. And that's what mattered. Nebula had convinced the other two and pepper to help conceal his nono suit into the arm too, she knew for a fact he would never be coming back to the fight, he had Pepper and Morgan to think about and a life that he didn't want to leave, but knowing he had the suit and protection as a contingency made her feel better about him being safe in the future, pepper had been reluctant as the thought of tony still having a suit but on the inside she was grateful to know that tony would always be safe, and always be with them.

After 2 days of being in the coma and installing the implant in his arm, they finally woke Tony up and he was just fine, more than fine. The Wakanda medicine had worked wonders.

When Tony woke up the first person he had asked for was Pepper, who told him that she and Morgan were fine and that they won. He even asked for Peter, the boy he had come to think of a son and pepper had told him that the teenager was with his aunt in new york, both staying in a new apartment that pepper had paid for since their old one had a new family living in it. Actually, she had tried to help out all of their friends that had come back, it was a good distraction to stop her worrying about tony 24/7 whilst he was injured.

Tony had taken the news about his arm well, to be honest, they could have taken the entire arm off and he wouldn't have cared, he was just glad he was still alive. In the few seconds, he had been ready to use the stones until Carol joined him he had been ready to do what was right, even if that meant dying and leaving his family. He knew they would have been okay without him, but thankfully he was saved, and he would forever be grateful to Strange, Shuri and Nebula.

Once a few hours went by and tony was thoroughly checked by the doctors he was given the all-clear to go home, Strange re-opened a portal with the other side of it being his house and waiting right on the other side was Steve holding James and clinging on to her Auntie Nat was Morgan.

The genius's eyes started to well up at seeing his daughter again. Once he stepped through the portal with pepper, the little girl detached herself from Natasha's leg and ran as fast as she could into his arms. He winced a little when she came into contact with his cyborg enhancements but he couldn't have cared less. His baby girl was in his arms and that's all that mattered. He would gladly turn himself into robocop if it meant having a few moments with her.

She didn't seem to notice his arm at first and didn't seem to fully realise what had happened and why he was gone for a few days so she just ended up chattering on about how she has a new uncle and that it was James's dad. Tony could have rolled his eyes. He'd been gone for days after almost dying and his daughter was smitten with her new uncle. Typical Steve. But her topic of conversation quickly changed when she started to talk about how Steve had told her that her dad was a hero, and that he got rid of all the bad guys but that he was also injured whilst doing it and that's why he was gone for a few days.

"You're the best daddy ever! Uncle Steve said you were a hero for making all the bad guys go away and saving everyone." Her big brown eyes sparkled at tony as she spoke fast, not even taking one breath.

"Oh, he did did he? Well, your uncle steves a good guy" He and Steve still hadn't talked about the accords and bucky business, they hadn't really had the time considering they were mid-battle before. But today Tony would make sure that changed.

"I think your new arm is cool too" This made tony smile, pulling up his sleeve slightly, he showed more of it off to her, and her eyes just carefully scanned it, looking at all the metal and skin that was melded together. Yep, definitely cool.

Once he had seen his daughter, tony also hugged Natasha and James, glad that they were both okay, but soon after, all 4 of the woman and kids left to go back inside his house, leaving just him and Steve on the porch.

There were a few moments of silence as they both walked around the decking and leaned against the railing. Deciding to talk first, steve opened his mouth to break the silence.

"I'm sorry, for everything that happened back then. About the accords, bucky, about not telling you about your parents. It was a shitty thing to do, I'm sorry, I really am tony."

Tony took a large breath, his bottles up emotions and thoughts finally being able to be released.

"You know I've had a lot of time to think about what happened back then, 7 years. You were one of my closest friends and I felt betrayed because even though we had our differences I just always thought we'd always be on the same side. I felt bad after I learned that you were gone, for not making up earlier but I guess I just had to live with that and live with the knowledge that it ended on bad terms. But it wasn't until James and morgan were here that I really did regret fighting and falling out. because I realised that James and morgan were a few months apart, they were gonna grow up with each other, they would be best friends. And the thought of my daughter having a friend who she would grow up with and trust completely and do anything for and that he would the same for her, it made me a little less angry with you. Because that's exactly what you and bucky were, you were best friends since you were kids, and you lost him. I don't even wanna imagine morgan and James loosing each other. But I know it must have hurt for you, so getting him back was important. Even if you were kinds blindsided by everything else. I'll always be angry at bucky fro what he did, of course, I will, but I've learned to accept that he wasn't in control and that he did it against his will. And you were just trying to protect him."

Steve stood and let tony talk for as long as he needed. He didn't want to interrupt when tony had clearly needed to get this off his chest. Sure he had thought about it too and wanted to talk but tony had been sitting on this for 7 years and for 5 of those he thought he was dead.

"And watching James grow up, your son, made me regret our fight even more. Because every time I looked at that little boy I saw you. My friend who I never got to make amends with and now I had to be an uncle to this kid who would never meet you. And one day I would have to tell my nephew that when his father died, we weren't friends. I'm glad I won't have to do that now. He's a good kid, more like you than you think."

"I know its been less time for me tony, but its the same for me. I wish I would have just told you about bucky and I regret not telling you. And being around the kids, your daughter. It made me realise that I shouldn't have thrown out entire friendship just to help another. I should have been there for the both of you, so we could have worked it out. I went about it the wrong way, and as for the accords I regret that too because maybe if we would have stayed on the same side Thanos would never have won that first fight. And I am truly sorry tony."

"I'm sorry too, spangles." Steve rolled his eyes and laughed at Tony's nickname for him.

"Definitely didn't miss that"

"Oh I'm sorry, I meant to say capsicle."

Slapping the captain on the shoulder with a laugh, tony and steve leaned in for a long-overdue hug. But better late than never.

"But I do have to admit that I'm kinda grateful for what happened because if we never would have fought, we probably would never have had Morgan or James." Tony admitted, Steve knew that their conflict was over now but Tony just had to point it out because it was true. That fight led them to have their children, and they were both glad to have James and Morgan. After the hug, both men had gone back inside to join the others and helped out to make dinner.

About 2 days after tony had come back home, bruce and sam had called to let them know that they had Hank Pym make some more particles and that they fixed up a smaller version of their quantum tunnel time machine, ready for it to be used to take the stones back to their original timelines.

It wasn't long before steve volunteered to take the trip. He knew Natasha wouldn't want to return the vormir after being told about clint and what had happened. Thor couldn't return the stones either or else there would be 3 thors running about in Asgard. Nebula and rocket hadn't wanted to go back either, rather spending time with their newly returned family. Tony had only just healed so he was a no go too. Bruce was too big to be sneaking around places he shouldn't be and Scott wanted to stay home too. And it just so happened that none of them would be able to take Mjolnir back to Asgard either, so steve was literally the only one who could go back anyway.

Tony, Steve and Natasha soon made their way to the leftover destruction that was the compound, their HQ and Natasha and James's home. When they got out the car, they saw the large bruce stood behind the monitor and sam, thor and bucky waiting around it.

Steve was quickly equipped with the quantum suit, ready to take the journey of returning the hammer and stones. He was told about exactly the places he would have to return them and who to expect, but he was more than ready to take it on.

"Hey, you be careful you hear me." Natasha pulled him close as she warned him and kissed him lightly, not bothering about their crowd of onlookers that were watching and waiting for steve.

"Don't worry I will, to be honest, its kinds exciting, time travel I mean." She just smirks at him and runs her hand down his chest as she pulls away, leaving him standing on the platform ready to jump.

Sam and bucky stood next to each other as they watched the exchange between the two reunited lovers. It had been a shock to learn they had a child together when they came back, they knew about Natasha and steve being together during their time on the run but they never would have expected to come back to the news that their friends now had a 5-year-old.

But they had to admit it was sickeningly cute to see their friends as a proper couple again, after being apart for 5 years.

So there on the ground around the tunnel was thor, bruce, tony and Natasha with steve stood on the platform for the tunnel. It was almost like the old days, the original team back together, but they would never forget the member that had made then a 6. Sam and Bucky had stepped a few feet away as they let the team have a moment.

Then counting down from 5 was bruce, the monitor getting the machine ready to jump.

5

Steve winked at Natasha and she smiled back, giving him a little wave of her hand.

4

Toyn watched on and gave steve smile too.

3

Thor grinned as he watched Steve picked up his old hammer and also the case containing the stones.

2

Activating his helmet, the mask now covered his face, protecting him once he travelled.

1

Then Steve was gone.

It takes 5 more seconds before he's back. It would probably feel like longer to steve because you know, time travel. But once Bruce counts to 1 again, steve doesn't return alone.

Landing on the platform on their feet is 2 figures. Everyone stands with shocked looked on their faces as they try to figure out who the other person is. But Natasha knew who it was instantly.

Deacivciaitng their helmets, steve stood with a man by his side who should have been dead.

Clint.

Upon seeing her oldest friend, Natasha sucks in a breath. It was clint, stood right in front of her. At first, she thought maybe it was a different Clint somehow, a younger version maybe, but the tattoo sleeve and the mohawk proved to her that this was her Clint. The one she had only found a few days ago after 5 years. But Clint died, how was he here? He sacrificed himself for the stone, and it was supposed to be irreversible. She didn't understand, but that didn't stop her from running to him instantly and wrapping her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug.

Clint gladly returned the hug too, he knew how she must have felt after he sacrificed himself for her and he regretted making her feel that way but his life to save her? He'd do it over and over again. He wouldn't dream of making his nephew an orphan.

"You're an idiot!"

"Maybe so, but I don't regret it Nat, you got to go home to your son and I would do it a hundred times over to make sure you always get to go home to him."

"Thank you." clint said nothing in return and just smiled at her gratefulness. They were each other's oldest friends, they had known each other longer than the rest of the team. He was just glad she was safe.

After pulling away from the hug, Natasha pulled clint with her towards the car so they could take him back with them, at the same time Steve deactivated the suit and told Bruce and Thor that he returned all the stones and that the timelines were all fixed.

But Natasha forgot that today is the day that Laura was supposed to come up with the kids. She was too busy explaining to Clint what had happened during the battle and after to remember.

Then the four pulled up down the dirt road to Tony's house, where they saw a slightly familiar car parked up. The four avengers pilled out of Tony's car and made their way over to the house, but Natasha couldn't stop thinking about that car that was parked up. She stopped for a second whilst the three men carried on towards the house. It was familiar. That's when it clicked. That was Laura's car. She whipped her head quickly towards the door, but the boys were already inside.

Clint was already there.

Steve walked inside first and gasped as he was met with the face of a woman that was sat on the couch with pepper, who, to him, he hadn't seen in months. A woman who had also been snapped. Laura.

Laura had looked just as shocked to see him, and instantly stood up to see them, but her face was friendly as always, flashing him a slight smile to say she was glad to see him, a smile he quickly returned but then he moved further into the room and glanced out the back window. There in the back garden behind the house was 5 children running about, well 3 kids and 2 teenagers. All of them probably sent outside to play whilst the two older women talked.

Then in walks tony, of course for him, it's been long since he had seen the mother of 3 but he was happy to see her, when he found out about her and the kids it had saddened him immensely, Laura had been nothing but kind and the kids were innocent when he knew them. They hadn't deserved to be dusted. He would have gone to hug her but he knew there was someone else who needed to see her more than him. Someone who had waited 5 years to get them back.

As Tony walks over to Pepper, the doorway is left unblocked, allowing Clint to walk in next. He freezes. his eyes start to water as he looks upon the brunette woman standing in front of him. His wife. The love of his life he had spent the last moments of being alive thinking about.

Its been so long for him he almost forgot how overwhelming it was to be in her presence, one look at her after 5 years and he feels just like he did the first time he met her. She was just beautiful in and out. She was perfect and when he lost her and the kids he lost everything but now she was back.

Laura watches as her husbands eyes water and he looks at her in disbelief, she can't imagine what he must have been through.

When she had arrived it had just been pepper at the house with James and Morgan, and Pepper had done her best to try and catch laura up with everything that had happened in the last 5 years, about Thanos, James, morgan, and about Clint being missing for 5 years and his activities as a vigilante.

That would explain that awful mohawk and the sleeve. She thought.

Clint didn't waste any more time, he pushed on his feet and ran towards her. Even though it was a small gap between them and wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her with all his strength, Laura just swung her arms around his neck and moved her head slightly to let him bury his face into the crook of her neck and smell her hair.

Watching from the doorway, Natasha leaned against the wooden frame and looked on at the reunion of her best friends. It was surreal, she just couldn't believe that after all this time they finally had everyone back. The redhead pushed herself from the door frame and walked over to her soldier, wrapping one arm around his back and leaned into him, soaking up his warmth.

"Dad?" A feminine sweet voice suddenly sounded out in the room. Each adult all turned to look towards the source, only to see a young girl, with light brown hair that fell just past her shoulders.

It's Lila.

Clint's eyes light up at the sight of His little girl! God, she was 17 this year but she still looked 12 and had braces. The young girl ran towards her father, who had unwrapped one arm from his wife and held it out to her and buried herself in his chest as both he and her mother hugged her.

Clint started to laugh out of happiness at having his child back in his arms, then coming back inside came Cooper and Nate, his teenage son was carrying his little brother on his back. They stopped after seeing the commotion and then Cooper carefully let down Nate, allowing the younger brother to run towards his parents. Cooper just ran towards them too, joining the hug.

Across the room, Natasha stands in steve's arms as she watched the family hug each other out of joy, she could just about see the traces of water down Clint's cheeks as he's overwhelmed with his family. She can only smile contently at the reunion, and the fact she actually had clint back. Today was supposed to be a day of tears and sadness once she finally told laura and clint sacrificing himself for her. But now, thanks to Steve, he was brought back. On the way home the two had explained the exchange of the soul stone, and that no one had ever returned the stone before. So when steve returned it, he swapped a soul for a soul.

Turning her head away from the family and in the direction of her solider, Natasha tilted her head to look up at him. Steve felt the redhead moved and followed her gaze to look down upon the love of his life. Steve stares into her eyes, just watching her until she reaches up on her tiptoes and captures his lips into a kiss, her arm snaking up to his face and cupping it. they stay there for a few seconds before pulling back and leaning their foreheads against each other.

Opening her mouth, Natasha let out a breath. Her life was finally the way it should be.

"You amaze me. You're unlike anybody I've ever met and I'm so thankful to have you. I'm so glad you're back." 


	16. Epilogue

So! here we are, at the end of this fanfic. its been a pleasure to finally write this fanfic and write out my ideas for an alternate timeline to infinity war and endgame. But this isn't the end of this universe! I'm going to be creating a brand new story, including one-shots and drabbles, thats set around the 5 years in between the snaps and also after they bring everyone back! so you'll still be getting more of Natasha James and steve. I look forward to writing a few one-shots and posting them soon, so keep a lookout for when its posted. I'm also very grateful to everyone who had read my story and gave it a kudos and also commented! it was lovely to hear about your thoughts and advice. love you guys! ❤❤❤❤❤

Its been a year since the Avengers brought back half of the universe. And what a year its been. Celebrations had started almost instantly around the world on the same day, states across America and countries across the world were setting off fireworks and throwing parties in their town squares and they were still going on a year later, and they probably will until the end of time. The time people had lost with their loved ones will never be fixed but everyone was back, and that's all that mattered. Not to mention the Avengers were practically legends now, they were even knighted by the Queen of England after she came back. Tony had loved that way too much.

And yes, Everyone was fine, they had rebuilt the compound in New York and restored it to be better and bigger, Bruce had actually rejoined the new avengers team and was now working as part of the team and the science division, Thor left New Asgard in the hands of his trusted friend Valkyrie whilst he travelled with the guardians. Getting everyone back had made him immensely better and his depression wasn't as crushing anymore, the guilt no longer weighing him down. Valkyrie had been more than supportive and told him she would look after their people whilst he got back to his old self. And if that meant getting back to his old ways of doing missions and helping people out in the universe then so be it. Doctor strange was also a bigger part of the team too, he and wanda worked together great, their powers were incredible when put together.

Carol had gone back off to help people around the universe too, she even clocked in with the guardians sometimes to help them out and carol also checked back in with her earth team often, not forgetting to visit for important occasions either.

Tony had been recovering and getting used to his new arm, which he has to admit, it better than his all flesh one, no wonder Bucky liked his so much. Speaking of which, tony and bucky had become civil with each other and are still trying to move on and become somewhat acquaintances. He retired from the avengers for good too, just spending his days now with pepper and their daughter Morgan. Morgan was a big fan of his arm too and often stuck magnets to his metal replacements when he was asleep or without him realising. Don't tell pepper but he still sneakily made suits for the guys at HQ and upgraded them with new weapons or new tech. He did say he wouldn't but he couldn't resist and besides Shuri, who else was gonna make their suits even better.

Scott and Hope had returned back home with her parents and were just living each day as it came, Scott had been saddened by missing out on another 5 years of his daughter's life and just wanted to make up for that time, whilst also spending as much time with hope as he could too. The 5 of them also came up too when there was an occasion, always keeping in touch, or even teaming back up with the Avengers when they needed help.

Clint and Laura were great too, they had gone back to their home after reuniting and fixed up the house in the areas they needed too, it was a bit run down considering no one lived in it for 5 years. But they managed to get back to life as normal, Clint still couldn't believe it sometimes but he never took another day for granted, he spent every day treating Laura like he did when they first met, like a queen basically, he was like a lovesick teenager all over again. Clint also tried to make sure he spent all his time with his kids too, not wanting to miss another moment.

Natasha and steve moved into their own home. Since they couldn't return to the compound as it was destroyed, they stayed at Tony and Peppers for a few days until pepper could find them a house. It was quite perfect actually, Natasha had never taken herself for a white picket fence kind of girl, but the house pepper had found was perfect. It was on its own with a huge garden, like tony and peppers, a good 30 minutes drive from anyone or the city, but it was still close buy that they could get James to school and could visit Tony, Pepper and Morgan as much as they wanted.

During the year, they made sure to visit most of their friends, of course, they couldn't exactly see the guardians or carol since they were away in the universe somewhere but their space friends always came back whenever they wanted too or when it was a birthday or a special time. The family of three visited clint and laura a lot too, to be honest, clint and laura were like a couple of teenagers again, sometimes Natasha would catch clint looking at laura and he would just be smiling whilst staring at his wife, like the rest of the world didn't exist but her, it was sickeningly cute. Lila had been practising her archery even more, she told steve she wanted to be just like her dad. A hero, whereas cooper was going back to school to finish his last few years before leaving for college. If Natasha remembered correctly, he had said he wanted to get into social work and help kids that were displaced by 'The Blip' and Nate was just happy like always, not a care in the world. All he wanted to do was play with his brother and sister and run around 24/7.

Natasha and steve had officially retired too, thankfully their home was close enough to the compound that they could still help out the team, paperwork mostly and they trained some new recruits sometimes when they were craving a bit of action or when the new Avenger's team desperately needed their expertise. They did have their own gym room in the house so they could keep on top of their health and fitness but they didn't do any missions, that was the only condition. No missions for either of them. Neither wanted to risk themselves or each other and definitely didn't want to risk their lives and leave James without a parent or two. And too Natasha's happiness, Steve had kept the beard and longer hair after hearing that both James and his mother liked it better, and even Natasha had kept the blonde at the end of her hair. Almost a reminder of the last 8 years. She knew one day her hair would get too long she would have to cut it off but for now, the blonde was a part of her and she wasn't getting rid of it. Besides, she liked her hair longer anyway.

Its a Saturday on the anniversary of 'The Blip' aka when everyone came back, and Tony and Pepper had offered to have James over for a sleepover again, leaving the evening free for Natasha and steve to spend together, it was after all a special anniversary, not only because of their victory for bringing everyone back but because its the day Steve came back and also met his son.

So the two retired Avengers decided to spend the night at home. Just the two of them.

Right now, the soldier and the spy were swaying in the front room of their house, Natasha's head was lay on its side against his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck. Steve had rested his chin on the top of her head and had his hands placed on her waist, slowly caressing them up and down her back. They'd been dancing to some old music that steve has put on for about 20 minutes. The lights were dimmed down, the windows letting in a soft breeze and James' toys, crayons and drawings were only slightly littering the floor.

Shifting her head, Natasha moved to place her ear over Steves' heart, listening to the soft thud of his heartbeat. Just revelling in the warmth he was radiating. Could you blame a girl? She had spent 5 years without him, Natasha was gonna spend the rest of her life soaking up as much of him as she could. But after a few minutes, she pulled her head back and looked into the blue eyes above her. The same blue eyes that lovingly stared back. Natasha pushed on her feet bringing her to her tiptoes, giving her just enough heigh to reach his lips and bring him down into a kiss. One that he gladly return with just as much enthusiasm.

After pulling away Natasha kept their foreheads together and stopped on her feet, halting their dancing and she held onto him. Then take a deep breath, Natasha opened her mouth to speak.

"You know, 6 years ago, after you were gone, it was the worst time of my life, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't sleep or eat, it sounds pathetic but I just couldn't believe you weren't in my life anymore. And then I found out about James. And it was like I was given this gift as if the universe was trying to apologise to me for taking you. And I was so scared at the thought of having this child by myself without you there. I always knew you wanted a child so much, anyone could tell you did even if you denied it or never talked about it. So when I remembered that, I wasn't so scared, because I knew you were always with me and if you could want this life and this child, I knew I could do it too." Steve almost grimaced, he hated that he wasn't there for her, that he wasn't there for James for those 5 years. But all that mattered was that he was here now.

"I'm sorry I left you alone Tasha. I never wanted to do that." He was too sweet, he was trying to apologise for something that was beyond his control. Natasha just smiled up at him as his eyebrows furrowed in regret.

"I know you didn't but you don't have to apologise." Then his eyes lit up.

"You did such an amazing job raising James, he's amazing. The best kid I ever met and I'm not being unfair I promise." She laughs at that. In the past year, James had become smitten with his dad, both spending all their time with each other trying to make up for lost time. It was cute to see steve experience so many firsts. And for the two of them to experience some together. after their emotional meeting, the two mostly bonded over drawing, James had insisted on making a picture for his dad and steve had joined him and they hit it off from there.

"Seriously though, you and James are the best part of my life, I'm so proud of everything we've built this last year, the HQ, becoming trainers for the new recruits and making this house our home. I'm so glad I have you and that your both okay. You're my family, I love you so much." Hearing his confession made her heart warm in her chest, she still hadn't got used to it, to be fair, they had only said 'i love you' for a short while when they had been on the run but in the past year he had said it too her every day. It was still foreign almost but every time he muttered those words, it sent shivers down her spine and he never let her forget it.

"That's good because I was thinking about what you would say about expanding" Steve's brows knitted together at her question, not really understanding it, but as she stared at his confused face the redhead just grinned.

"Expanding? what? the house? Isn't it big enough?" Finishing his sentence steve let out a huff of a laugh. He really did think she meant the house. For a super-smart super-soldier, he could be quite clueless sometimes.

Natasha just rolled her eyes with her grin still on her face. He really had no idea.

"No, you dork. I meant our family." That's when the soldier's eyes light up, but not for the reason she was trying to explain.

"What do you mean, like a dog? Because I think James would love that, and me but mostly James, yeah Jamie would definitely love a dog." Sometimes he was painfully too obvious and oblivious, Natasha just smiled and quirked an eyebrow, knowing full well that it was steve who wanted a dog more, but he was trying to play it off as if it was James that wanted it.

"No, I didn't mean a dog."

"Then what do-" His breath nearly caught in his throat, he pauses and it finally clicks.

"You want another kid?" His blue eyes start to sparkle as he speaks. She could practically feel his excitement and nervousness when his hands tightened their grip on her waist.

tilting her head to the side, Natasha smirked at him. He'd finally figured it out, but she still had one more surprise.

"What if I told you I'm already about a month of that plan in front of you."

Once again, the soldier's eyes are confused as he looks at his love. A few strands of his long hair falling into his eyes. But then his face falls, finally realising what she means. Natasha just waits, watching the different thoughts colour his face. Then she sees it. That look of realisation in his eyes.

"You're pregnant? You're really pregnant?"

Biting her lip, Natasha nods in confirmation.

Steve breathes out a laugh, practically in shock he picks her up at her sides and swings her around in a circle, hugging her close. The redhead laughs at the sudden movement and when he finally puts her down, he kneels on both knees and pulls her closer at her hips, instantly reaching for her shirt to pull it up slightly so he can see her bare stomach. There wasn't anything there and he knew there wouldn't be a bump for a couple more months but just knowing that right now, a baby was growing inside there made him almost pass out.

As he holds her in his hands, steve leans in to kiss her bare skin, just below her belly button. He can feel her fingers start to run through his hair as he does. Once he pulls back he tilts his head back to look up the love of his life. His partner, his spy, the woman who one day would be his wife and all he could do was marvel at her.

Steve was literally consumed in awe at the woman before him, he always had been. Ever since the moment he had boosted her of his shield to catch a ride on one of the chitauri's ships all those years ago.

She was amazing. And had given him everything he thought he never even wanted or could even have.

Looking back at her stomach he gave it another quick kiss before he whispered into her skin.

"I love you so much already."

Before Natasha can react, her soldier is already back on his feet and grabbing her by the arms to pull her closer to him so he can wrap his arms around her and leave no space between them.

Seeing him up close she can see the slight traces of tears that had run down his face from the pure emotion he had been feeling.

"Natasha Romanoff, you are the love of my life and I love you so much. You have given me everything I never thought I could have or even wanted. You are my world, you, James and this baby. You are my everything and I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again every single day."

The redhead sniffles a little at his small speech, she knew he would be over the moon, and she was so happy she was able to finally tell him this time. This is what it should have been like for James. But even though those 5 years without him were tough, she finally had him back now and they were moving forward with their lives. With James and the baby for them to raise.

Pulling him down by his shirt Natasha embraces his lips with hers again. Their lips moulding together perfectly. God, she would never get enough of this man. She thought didn't deserve him at all, but after everything they have been through, she couldn't care less if she deserved him or not. She loved him and he more than loved her. They had James and they were going to have another baby. And that's all that mattered.

Pulling away breathlessly the two stay close with their noses touching, Steve's has a sudden wash of confusion and worry over his face.

"Does James know?"

Natasha lets out a sigh, looking down as she plays with her fingers. Her worry also covered her face as she really thought about James's reaction

"No, not yet, I didn't want to tell him yet just in case he gets a little upset, it's been a crazy year and we've only just got you back too. So much has changed. I don't want him to think that now you're here and there's a baby that he's being left out."

"Hey don't worry, everything will be fine, James will never be left out and he is gonna be a great big brother." Steve reached down to capture her hands in his to stop her from picking at her fingernails and then used his other hand to touch her chin, making her head tilt upwards to look at him once again. Suddenly her worry clears away, he was right. She was worrying over nothing.

Then a cheeky smile makes its way onto steves face.

"So, what do you think? A boy or girl." Natasha instantly rolls her eyes playfully at him and pulls away to go turn the music off.

"Oh god, your gonna start this now? I'm not fighting with you over who's guessing right."

"Hey, come on, just because you know I'll be right isn't it? " he followed her after she turned the music off, both making their way towards the stairs to head to their bedroom, but it didn't stop him from joking with her.

"Oh you really wanna go there" She challenged back.

"Oh yeah, you know I do. And by the way, since we brought it up, I think we should definitely get a dog." If Natasha eyes could have rolled any further back, she would have. Steve knew she only meant it playfully but he was not gonna stop trying.

"We are not getting a dog."

"Please? You know James would love it, and me, and the baby. "

"Steve please"

"Pleeease, just 1, like a labrador or golden retriever."

"You're obsessed."

And that's how they spent the rest of night, spending it together in their home, talking about the baby and James and even the possibility of getting a dog.

Years ago Natasha could never have dreamed this would have been her life, she was raised to be a killer, to not embrace her emotions and believe love was for children. Back then she didn't even think she could have children. but now she had everything she dreamed about. She deserved this. Natasha wouldn't have changed it for the world.

And Steve was the same. If you would have told him back when he was still a skinny kid in the 40s that he would have been a hero and finally have his own family in the 21st century with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and had a child with one of the way, he probably would have died from a coughing fit and asthma attack after laughing too hard.

Fate had brought them together and also tore them apart, but nothing could stop them from finding each other again.

And neither could imagine their life any different. 


End file.
